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MVP
Yaxel
Lendeborg
celebrates
two
points
dunk to
help
Michigan
cruise
past No.
12
Gonzaga
to claim
Players
Era
Championship
Title
(Imagn
Images)11/27/2025 |
| |
Unstoppable
Wolverines
Humiliate
Gonzaga
in
40-Point
Blowout
Parker
Sinclair
- Sports
Tell Us
Detroit
News
LAS
VEGAS -
No. 7
Michigan
dominated
No. 12
Gonzaga
in a
decisive
championship
victory
on
Wednesday
night,
defeating
the
Bulldogs
101-61
at the
MGM
Grand
Garden
Arena in
Las
Vegas.
The
40-point
victory
capped
off an
extraordinary
three-game
performance
by the
Wolverines
at the
Players
Era
Festival
and
earned
Michigan
an
additional
$1
million
in NIL
compensation,
while
Gonzaga
took
home
$500,000
as
runner-up.
Key
Performances
Yaxel
Lendeborg
led
Michigan's
offensive
charge
with 20
points
and 11
rebounds
while
earning
Players
Era MVP
honors.
His
well-rounded
play
exemplified
the
Wolverines'
dominant
performance
throughout
the
contest.
The
combination
of
Michigan's
size
advantage
and
aggressive
defensive
play
proved
to be
overwhelming
for the
Gonzaga
squad.
Game
Flow and
Analysis
Michigan
established
complete
control
from the
opening
tip.
Just
3:11
into the
game,
the
Wolverines
had
already
built a
13-3
lead and
forced
Gonzaga
to call
a
timeout.
By the
10-minute
mark,
Michigan
had
extended
its
advantage
to
33-14,
and from
that
point
forward,
there
were no
realistic
questions
about
the
outcome.
Gonzaga,
which
had been
one of
the
nation's
most
potent
offensive
teams
entering
the
contest,
simply
could
not find
its
rhythm.
The
Bulldogs
shot
just 34%
from the
field
overall
and
struggled
significantly
from
three-point
range,
making
only 3
of 22
attempts
from
beyond
the arc.
This
represented
a stark
departure
from
Gonzaga's
dominant
performances
earlier
in the
tournament,
where
the team
had
torched
its
first
two
opponents.
The
disparity
in size
between
the two
teams
proved
to be a
decisive
factor.
Michigan's
frontcourt
effectively
controlled
both
ends of
the
floor,
and the
Bulldogs
had no
answer
for the
Wolverines'
physical
presence.
Gonzaga
coach
Mark Few
acknowledged
this
challenge,
noting
that
such a
dominant
performance
from an
opponent
"just
doesn't
ordinarily
happen
to us."
Tournament
Context
Michigan's
championship
run was
remarkable
in its
consistency
and
dominance.
Over
three
consecutive
days in
Las
Vegas,
the
Wolverines
defeated
three
consecutive
opponents
by a
combined
margin
of 110
points.
Their
victories
included
a
40-point
win over
San
Diego
State, a
30-point
victory
over No.
21
Auburn,
and this
decisive
40-point
triumph
over No.
12
Gonzaga.
The
tournament
showcased
Michigan's
evolution
as a
championship-caliber
program.
Earlier
in the
season,
the
Wolverines
had
struggled
in close
contests
against
TCU and
Wake
Forest,
raising
questions
about
their
ability
to
compete
at the
highest
level.
The
three
dominant
performances
in Las
Vegas
silenced
those
doubts
and sent
a strong
message
about
Michigan's
aspirations.
Takeaways
and
Implications
Michigan's
dominant
performance
has
already
elevated
its
standing
in
national
rankings,
with the
team
rising
to No. 1
in
KenPom's
power
rankings.
The
victory
provides
Michigan
with
what
many
consider
the best
win on
its
resume
to date,
even
considering
future
regular
season
matchups.
For
Gonzaga,
while
the loss
was
decisive,
the
tournament
still
showcased
the
program's
overall
strength
entering
the
season.
The
Bulldogs
finished
7-1
after
the
championship
game
loss and
remain
one of
the
nation's
most
talented
teams,
even if
this
particular
evening
belonged
entirely
to
Michigan.
From a
broader
perspective,
Michigan's
performance
suggests
the
program
is not
merely a
Big Ten
contender
but a
legitimate
national
championship
threat.
Guard
Yaxel
Lendeborg's
post-game
comments
reflected
this
sentiment:
"We know
we're
capable
of
national
championships.
As long
as we
continue
to grow
together,
we're
going to
be the
best in
the
country
and
nobody
will be
able to
stop
us."
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