The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 37 ❱ MICHIGAN BASKETBALL 225-pounder posted 17 of the bench's 33 points (senior Roddy Gayle Jr. had the other 16), helping the Wolverines stay right there early on and separate late. A similar performance came in the Final Four against Arizona, with McKenney splashing 4 of Michigan's 12 made threes, changing the complexion of the game in the second half and allowing the Wolverines to keep their foot on the gas. He nailed 2 threes to make it 59-39 and 62-39, and then drilled a tough step-back mid- range jumper from the left elbow (66-44). Min- utes later, he made it 77-47 with another three — marking Michigan's largest lead of the game. In the first half against UConn, McKenney was 0-for-5 shooting from the field, but all of them were great looks. One thing the fresh- man showed throughout the season is that he's not fazed by the moment. There was plenty of belief that, as long as he kept firing, some would fall — and that played out on the sport's grandest stage. He made the Wolverines' first field goal outside the paint with a midrange jumper nearly 26 minutes in, and then drilled a three that put Michigan up 65-56 with 1:50 remaining. 5. Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr.: The 6-foot-9, 250-pounder saw his offensive efficiency take a dip during the postseason, making 62.3 percent of his two-point shots in nine games compared to 66.7 percent for the regular season, but he still had a huge impact on the Wolverines' title run. Johnson was a monster in the 101-80 first- round win over Howard, scoring 21 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the field, and he finished with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field in the 95-72 triumph over Saint Louis. Johnson was a bully against Tennessee's tough front line, with 12 points (8-of-11 on free throws), and he scored in double figures in each of the two games in Indianapolis, highlighted by a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double in the na- tional championship contest. With 10 of his 12 points coming in the first half, Johnson scored big bucket after big bucket against the Huskies. He helped keep the Wolverines afloat during a rough shooting stanza, with U-M eventually up four at halftime. Johnson's toughness and tenacity — which are displayed prominently on the defensive end, where his versatility helped unlock Michi- gan's high upside — were driving forces behind U-M standing atop the highest podium in col- lege basketball on that final Monday night. Key Moment Michigan led 62-56 with just over two min- utes to go in the national championship game against UConn when senior guard Roddy Gayle Jr. turned the ball over on an errant pass up top intended for junior center Aday Mara. UConn went the other way, with guard Solo Ball go- ing up for a layup, which was missed due in large part to the effort and contest by Michi- gan freshman Trey McKenney. Despite holding a two-possession lead, U-M pushed the ball, with numbers in the open court. Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. fumbled a pass un- derneath, gathered and found Gayle in the left corner. He drove middle and kicked to McKen- ney on the right wing. UConn's Ball flew by him attempting to bat the pass away and contest a potential jumper, before McKenney stepped back, fired and connected to put the Wolver- ines up 65-56 with 1:50 remaining. It was a three-pointer for the ages — one of the most iconic shots in Michigan history. The game wasn't over, with UConn pulling within four points with less than 40 seconds to go, but the Wolverines closed out the game to win, 69-63. It was McKenney, the Flint native, who sealed it by hitting a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left. Best Highlight Graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg's game- winning three against Wisconsin or crazy dunk in transition versus Saint Louis could easily be here. But no stretch epitomizes the unselfish- ness and connectivity of the legendary Wol- verine team quite like the 21-0 first-half run to surge ahead of Tennessee and solidify that head coach Dusty May and Co. were headed to the Final Four. Analytics guru Evan Miya calls a 10-0 run a "kill shot," but this was more than double that. The Wolverines went from down 16-14 to up 35-16 in the blink of an eye. The Wolverines went 7-of-9 shooting, while Tennessee missed 10 consecutive shots and turned the ball over 4 times in the span of five minutes. Michigan held a 48-26 halftime lead and had the game all but wrapped up early in the sec- ond half — similar to other Wolverine Elite Eight victories like ones over Virginia in 1989 (102-65) and Florida in 2013 (79-59). The crowd in Chicago — just like one week later in Indianapolis — was jubilant, with Michi- gan fans taking over the United Center and get- ting an early start on the celebration. Bold Prediction The 37 years between Michigan's first (1989) and second (2026) national championships marks the longest gap for any multiple-time title-winning program. We're here to predict that 1) there will be another one, 2) it won't be nearly as long as 37 years and, yes, 3) Dusty May will lead Michigan to the pinnacle again. There's perhaps no coach better suited to tackle the challenges of today's game, because of his hunger to learn, willingness to adapt, emotional intelligence and knowledge of the game. U-M signed May to another contract extension, and all indications point toward the Wolverines being a dominant force in the Big Ten and the nation for years to come. — Clayton Sayfie Junior center Aday Mara averaged 15.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.6 blocks in the postsea- son, connecting on 65.6 percent of his shots from the field and going 16-of-21 from the free throw line. PHOTO BY ANDREW MASCHARKA/MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY