Michigan Ends 37-Year Title Drought in Defense-Driven Slugfest with UConn

INDIANAPOLIS — Perfection is the goal. It is not the requirement.

As the program eyed its first national title since 1989, Michigan fought for every bucket opposite a physical, annoying Connecticut team. There were constant battles for position down low. The rims tightened on jumpers, three-pointers didn't fall often and UConn locked down U-M in transition.

But as a feared, high-scoring offense labored to best UConn, the Wolverines turned to their other strength.

The nation's top-rated defense, per KenPom, sure played like it.

Overshadowed by U-M scoring 90-plus points in all five previous NCAA tournament wins, the defense commanded the spotlight in Monday's 69-63 win.

Michigan held UConn to a dismal 30.9 shooting clip—including a 9-of-33 on the perimeter—and forced 11 turnovers, the second-worst day for the Huskies in March Madness. Connecticut turned 22 offensive rebounds into a relatively modest 19 second-chance points, as well.

And the crucial trend of second-half excellence made another appearance.

Michigan outscored Howard, Saint Louis and Alabama by 14-plus points after the break during the opening three rounds. An immediate 17-6 run buried Tennessee in the Elite Eight, and a 29-15 spurt dashed Arizona's unlikely comeback dream in the semifinals of the Final Four.

Monday, a four-point halftime lead climbed to 11 behind a 15-8 start. That didn't ice the result for the Wolverines, yet it provided them vital insurance.

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Connecticut hung around, trimming the deficit to five points with a chance to cut it further. Aday Mara tipped a pass, though, and Roddy Gayle Jr. stormed down, lofted an alley-oop to Mara and steadied the Wolverines' ship.

Their lead returned to 11 points and remained within the two-, three-possession range until UConn made it 67-63 in the final minute.

Once again, the Maize and Blue stepped up defensively.

While not as dramatic as Gayle's alley-oop to Mara, an aware defense forced Alex Karaban into a deep, desperate three. Connecticut certainly didn't mind him launching the shot, but it wasn't an ideal look.

Two free throws and a final stop later, the Wolverines erupted into celebration with the program's first national championship in 37 years.

"Our togetherness on defense ultimately got us over the hump," Michigan coach Dusty May said on the court afterward.

A perfect game, it was not.

Great teams find ways to win ugly, though.

The clearest example of the struggle is how it took 27 minutes for Michigan, a highly efficient three-point offense, to bury a triple.

For the game, the Wolverines connected on just 2-of-15 long-range attempts. They relied on attacking the rim, an impressive 36-22 edge for points in the paint and a necessary 25-of-28 finish at the free-throw line.

Thanks to that defensive effort, it was enough.

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In today's era, it's extremely difficult to predict what happens next.

Michigan is destined to reshape its roster as All-American forward Yaxel Lendeborg heads to the NBA and Aday Mara likely does, too. Morez Johnson Jr., who quietly posted 12 points and 10 rebounds in the championship victory, will probably declare for the NBA draft, at the very least.

We know the program will be a destination—that exact trio and Elliot Cadeau, the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, are proof—so good luck finding people who think the Wolverines will dramatically fall.

But now, their next group will welcome a different kind of pressure.

No longer must the memories of the Fab Five's runner-up campaigns have to haunt Michigan. The visions of Luke Hancock and Ryan Arcidiacono drilling a barrage of shots can sting a little less.

Instead, the Wolverines are the reigning champion. They're a program that is familiar with deep March Madness runs and now understands how to finish.

The drought is over.

Michigan, on the back of a relentless defensive effort, is finally atop the college basketball world yet again.