'Hard to believe': 3 members of Michigan's worst team now in title game
INDIANAPOLIS − Had somebody told them at this time two years ago where they'd be on the final day of the 2025-26 season, it would’ve been impossible to believe. Will Tschetter, Nimari Burnett and Tarris Reed Jr. had just finished the worst modern season in Michigan basketball history.
They were three of the top six players in minutes on Michigan basketball’s 2023-24 team that finished 8-24 overall and last in the Big Ten at 3-17. They floundered down the stretch, going 2-19 in their final 21 games as the season ended with nine consecutive losses, and 14 of the last 15, which included opening night of the Big Ten Tournament. There was no postseason, but instead, a program overhaul.
Former coach Juwan Howard was fired and each U-M player had a decision to make about their future. Burnett and Tschetter each opted to stay in Ann Arbor while Reed transferred to the two-time defending champion UConn Huskies. It’s worked out for all three parties, who will meet in the national championship on Monday, April 6 (8:50 pm, TBS) at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Michigan beat Arizona 91-73 in its Final Four matchup shortly after UConn beat Illinois 71-62 to set up the finale. "Yeah, very hard to believe," Reed said. "We were talking about it a couple days ago, I saw them out at fan fest, just talking for a little bit.
But yeah, a crazy position that I'm in, we're seeing each other in the national championship game, knowing how tough and ugly that season was. "It's pretty cool, it's pretty special. " YAXEL LENDEBORG INJURY UPDATES: MRI clean for Michigan star, plans to play vs UConn Tschetter and Burnett have already proclaimed they're making shirts that read "from 8-24 to Final Four" but they may need to amend them should the Wolverines win it all against the Huskies.
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