Yaxel Lendeborg: 'I played super soft' in first half of title game vs UConn
Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg, playing through injury, said he played super soft and felt awful in the first half vs. UConn.
Michigan basketball leads UConn at halftime of the national championship, but the Wolverines' best player is far from happy. Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg was interviewed by TBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson and gave a surprisingly candid response to her question about his condition. "I feel awful," he said.
"I missed the plays I don't usually miss, I had many opportunities to take advantage of a smaller defender, haven't been able to do it," he said. "I played really soft in that first half and I'm gonna do way better in the second half. " "I feel awful.
I feel super weak right now... I'm missing plays that I don't usually miss. " @umichbball 's Yaxel Lendeborg wasn't pleased with his first-half effort | š¤ @tracywolfson pic.
twitter. com/5vDsUln11g ā CBS Sports College Basketball š (@CBSSportsCBB) April 7, 2026 Lendeborg has four points on 1-for-5 shooting so far in the first half, shooting 2-for-2 from the free-throw line while playing all 20 minutes of the half. Lendeborg and UConn forward Alex Karaban are the only two players who played all 20 minutes of the first half.