Michigan built a roster full of transfers who carried the Wolverines to a national title
INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan’s Roddy Gayle Jr. snagged a final rebound, then flung the ball to the other end of the court, trying to kill UConn’s frantic final chances for a miracle. The horn sounded, and Morez Johnson Jr.
came over to share a celebratory scream and hearty hug — from one transfer to another — as the Wolverines began running toward midcourt to celebrate a national championship. Maybe a school really can build an ideal college basketball roster amid the topsy-turvy chaos of the transfer portal, paying players and top-to-bottom overhauls. Michigan proved it Monday night, rolling out an all-transfer starting lineup that was too big, too strong and too capable of countering anything that UConn could muster — even on a night when the 3-point shot wasn’t falling and All-American Yaxel Lendeborg was hobbled by ankle and knee injuries.
The Wolverines still had enough to hold off the Huskies 69-63 and claim the program’s first title in 37 years. And they showed just how resilient of a roster second-year coach Dusty May brought together by diving all the way into the portal. It didn’t matter that the Wolverines shot just 38% while making 2 of 15 3-pointers.
It didn’t matter that they were outrebounded. Nor that Lendeborg carried an awkward gait as he grinded his way through a 4-for-13 shooting effort in 36 minutes after twisting his left ankle and spraining a knee ligament in Saturday’s win over Arizona in the Final Four. Not the way these guys complemented each other on the sport’s biggest stage.
Point guard Elliot Cadeau, in his first season after two up-and-down years at North Carolina, had 19 points and was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player. Johnson, in his first year from Illinois, had 12 points and 10 rebounds. The 7-foot-3 Aday Mara, in his first year from UCLA, helped hold UConn big man Tarris Reed Jr.