Will Yaxel Lendeborg Play In Tonight's National Championship Game?
With a national title at stake, the Michigan Wolverines will need Yaxel Lendeborg on the floor, carefully managing his knee as they balance health with the moment.
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here . Will Michigan Wolverines star Yaxel Lendeborg play tonight in the national championship against the UConn Huskies?
Almost assuredly yes. Lendeborg is not listed on the availability report, indicating he is available to play. Will Lendeborg be Limited?
Will Lendeborg be effective is an entirely different wonder. Joint injuries are often at their worst in the days after the initial worry, and that initial worry plagued Lendeborg quite a bit in Saturday’s rout of Arizona in the Final Four. As Wolverines head coach Dusty May said on Sunday, “[Lendeborg] played the second half like a 38-year-old at the YMCA, and a really good 38-year-old at the YMCA.
“Whatever version of Yaxel we get, it’s going to be somebody that helps us play better basketball. ” After injuring his knee — a “low-grade” MCL sprain and a “small bone bruise,” per Michigan’s trainer — Lendeborg played nearly nine minutes in the second half. He scored six points on 2-of-2 shooting from beyond the arc and grabbed two rebounds.