Michigan Wins NCAA Championship To Break 26-Year Big Ten Drought

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 29: The Michigan Wolverines celebrate after the game against the Tennessee Volunteers of the Elite Eight round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at the United Center on March 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) NCAA Photos via Getty Images Roddy Gayle Jr. alertly dribbled into the paint from the left wing and swiftly dished the ball to Trey McKenney on the right wing.

McKenney drained a 3-pointer that put Michigan up by nine points with under two minutes to go in the NCAA championship game and then raised his hands in the air to the crowd. Led by Elliot Cadeau’s 19 points, Yaxel Lendeborg’s 13 points and Morez Johnson Jr’s. 12 points and 10 rebounds, the Wolverines went on to capture the program’s first NCAA championship since 1989 with a 69-63 victory over UConn before 70,720 here at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday night.

The victory ends a 26-year drought for the Big Ten, which hadn’t claimed a title since Michigan State won it all in 2000. UConn had beaten three Big Ten teams en route to the final – UCLA, Michigan State and Illinois – but couldn’t make it four. Michigan (37-3) improved to 2-6 in NCAA title games, while UConn (34-6) lost for the first time in the final (6-1).

Under head coach Dan Hurley , the Huskies were bidding for their third title in four years, something that hadn’t been accomplished since John Wooden’s UCLA teams of the 1970s. The Huskies entered with an 18-1 record in the last three NCAA Tournaments. “As far as winning one for the Big Ten, we want to win one for each other first,” Michigan coach Dusty May said ahead of the game.