5 plays that defined Michigan's NCAA title game win over UConn, including flagrant hook-and-hold on Alex Karaban

UConn went into Monday’s NCAA championship game with a clear plan: Muck things up and grind down Michigan’s offense. It worked until it didn’t as Michigan made more plays down the stretch to secure a 69-63 win and the national championship . UConn’s strategy was correct against a deep and more talented Michigan roster that entered Monday’s game averaging 87.

8 points per game. And it worked early in the game as UConn limited Michigan’s attack and held a 24-23 lead with 3:16 remaining in the first half. UConn at that point had forced eight Michigan misses in its previous nine shots.

But a flagrant foul on UConn’s Alex Karaban shifted the game’s trajectory. And Michigan made more plays down the stretch to hold on for the program’s second NCAA championship. Here are five plays (plus one) that led Michigan to victory Monday night.

Hook-and-hold flagrant foul on Alex Karaban Karaban and Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. were battling for rebounding position off a missed Michigan 3 late in the first half. The two locked elbows, and Karaban held on as Johnson extended in an effort to secure the offensive rebound.