Murder in the Windy City: Michigan Submits Evidence for the Final
CHICAGO — If you’re a fan of the Tennessee Volunteers, I hope you didn’t spend too much on airfare to Chicago, because the Michigan Wolverines sent Rick Barnes’ squad packing before the halftime snacks were even served. In a game that looked less like an Elite Eight matchup and more like a varsity team accidentally scrimmaging a middle school gym class, Michigan steamrolled Tennessee 95-62.
The Wolverines didn't just win; they committed a 33-point felony on national television.
The Yaxel Factor
Yaxel Lendeborg is currently playing basketball like he’s discovered a cheat code that no one else has. He dropped 27 points and looked like he was playing against traffic cones. Yaxel is the first Wolverine since Juwan Howard in 1994 to go on this kind of scoring tear in the tourney. If he keeps this up, Michigan might have to build him a statue before the plane lands in San Antonio.
Helping him orchestrate the chaos was Elliot Cadeau, who dished out 10 assists with the nonchalant ease of a guy passing the salt at dinner.
The 21-0 "Wait, What Happened?" Run
Tennessee actually led 16-14 early in the first half. It was a lovely two minutes for the Vols. Then, Michigan decided to stop being polite. The Wolverines went on a 21-0 run that lasted about five minutes and effectively ended Tennessee’s season, their hopes, and potentially their interest in the sport of basketball.
By the time Dusty May (the man who clearly sold his soul for coaching superpowers back at FAU) put in his son, Charlie May, to hit a late 3-pointer, the United Center was basically a Michigan pep rally. Even 7-foot-3 Aday Mara stepped outside to hit a triple, because when you’re up by 30, why not?
The Elite Eight Ceiling
For Rick Barnes and Tennessee, this was their third straight exit in the Elite Eight. At this point, the Elite Eight isn't just a round of the tournament for the Vols; it’s a restraining order. Ja’Kobi Gillespie tried to carry the load with 21 points, but the rest of the team shot 32% from the floor. You can’t win a track meet when you’re wearing lead boots and Michigan is riding a Ducati.
Stat of the Night: Michigan is the first team in history to win four tournament games by double digits while scoring 90+ in each. They aren't just beating teams; they are deleting them from the hard drive.
Up Next:
Michigan: Heading to the Final Four for a heavyweight fight against Arizona.
Tennessee: Heading back to Knoxville to figure out how to break the "Elite Eight" curse. Have they tried sage? Or maybe just not playing Michigan?
