The Michigan Wolverines have completed one of the most impressive seasons in modern history, winning 37 games and claiming the program’s second national championship with a 69-63 win against UConn in Monday night’s national championship game.
Dusty May’s two-year turnaround, taking the Wolverines to the top of the sport, is a warning shot for the rest of college basketball. Not only did Michigan snap the Big Ten’s 26-year drought without a national title, but the Wolverines broke through by taking out arguably the most successful tournament team of the 21st Century.
While Monday night’s win did not include the 90-point performance or double-digit romps that marked one of the most dominant five-game runs leading up to the title game, the Wolverines won with a resilience that’s quite remarkable for a team with five transfer starters. Yaxel Lendeborg was visibly battling through injury and the Wolverine depth was tested with a tense final push from UConn, but Michigan came up with just enough plays in the clutch to cut down nets in Lucas Oil Stadium.
As is NCAA Tournament tradition, the champs get to enjoy a lengthy trophy celebration with their teammates and families on the floor. In addition to receiving the championship trophy and the adulation from the crowd in Indianapolis, the Wolverines get to watch, along with the rest of America, the newest edition of “One Shining Moment.”
Some of the highlights from “One Shining Moment” this year include:
- Dick Vital joining the broadcast from the First Four with Charles Barkley
- High Point’s first-round upset of Wisconsin
- Otega Oweh’s overtime-forcing heave in a win against Saint Mary’s
- Vanderbilt’s near-buzzer beater from Tyler Tanner in their thriller against Nebraska
- UConn’s sharp shooting in the Final Four win against Illinois
- Michigan’s romp of Arizona in the other national semifinal
- And of course, highlights from Michigan’s win against UConn en route to cutting down nets in Indianapolis.
After the win, Michigan finishes tied for the second-winningest national champion all-time with 37, trailing only 2011-12 Kentucky with 38. The Wolverines also finish with a plus-114 scoring margin in the NCAA Tournament, which ranks seventh-best among national champions all-time.
