5 Things Arizona Fans Should Know About Michigan
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25 years after their last Final Four appearance, the No. 1-seeded (West Region) Arizona Wildcats have finally made it back to the semifinal round of the NCAA National Tournament after overcoming the No. 2-seeded Purdue Boilermakers in a thrilling 79-64 win in San Jose.
The victory did not come without the Wildcats facing adversity, as Purdue led Arizona by seven points at halftime. The Wildcats outscored the Boilermakers 48-26 in the second half behind Koa Peat's 20-point game, ending Purdue's hopes of making the Final Four.
MOOD 🎉 pic.twitter.com/y0Lu5Kevge
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) March 29, 2026
With that Elite Eight now behind them, the Wildcats' focus has now shifted to facing the No. 1-seeded (Midwest Region) Michigan Wolverines, who exploded at the start of the game and routed the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers in Chicago.
Arizona and Michigan are set to play this Saturday in Indianapolis for the first time in five years. The last time the two powerhouses met on the floor was in Las Vegas, NV, where the Wildcats handled the Wolverines by a score of 80-62
Before Arizona takes the court in hopes of advancing to the championship game, let's take a look at five things fans should know about the Wolverines.
Michigan's Tournament History
The Wolverines have a long and illustrious history when it comes to playing in the NCAA National Tournament and the credentials will certainly speak for themselves. Now that Michigan has advanced, it will be the ninth time it has made it to the Final Four (1964, 1965, 1976, 1989, 1992, 1993, 2013, 2018, 2026). Michigan has also reached the Sweet 16 19 times and the Elite Eight 16 times.
Michigan's 1992 and 1993 seasons were vacated due to the NCAA investigations finding that boosters paid players to attend the university and play for the team. The Wolverines advanced to eight championship game and have a record of 1-7. Their lone win came in 1989, when it beat Seton Hall 80-79 in overtime.
Dusty May The Right Fit For The Job
May became the 18th head coach for the University of Michigan after five stellar seasons with the Florida Atlantic Owls, where he coached that team to a Final Four appearance in 2023. He replaced Juwan Howard, who coached the Wolverines for five seasons before being fired.
May helped the Wolverines make a full turnaround in his first season as the head coach, going from 8-24 to 27-10, a Big 10 championship and an appearance in the Sweet 16. My has now led Michigan to a 35-3 record, a Big 10 regular season title and a spot in the Final Four.
Michigan Wolverines More Than Efficient
It is by no accident that the Wolverines are one of the best teams in the nation, as they have a physical attack on offense and a menacing defense that has locked down all of their opponents in the Big 10.
The statistics speak for themselves as they have the fifth-best offensive efficiency (128.3) rating in the nation. Michigan's airtight defense also ranks first (89.2) in the nation and rightfully so. Michigan this year has prided itself on routing teams to make for convincing wins. That much can be said given Michigan's fourth-ranked scoring margin of 87.5-69.8.
Michigan's Transfers Leading The Charge
The Wolverines' starting lineup is a dangerous one that consists of four transfers. Forward Yaxel Landeborg has led the charge this tournament. The UAB transfer has averaged 25 points in the last three games. Eliot Cadeau has been Michigan's primary ball handler and averages 5.7 assists to go along with 10.3 points. He comes from North Carolina.
Morez Johnson Jr. made the in-conference transfer from Illinois as a freshman and found his place in Michigan. His stats jumped from seven points a game to 13.2 and 7.3 rebounds. Aday Mara played for UCLA last season and has become a force for Michigan in the paint and around the glass. He has gotten at least two blocks a game during the tournament and averages 11.3 points per game with 6.8 rebounds.
Elite Big Man Battle
Both Arizona and Michigan have been nightmares for opposing teams to score on in the paint and grab rebounds. This is due to both teams having elite big men who thrive off blocking shots and being aggressive on the glass.
Fans of both programs should pay attention to that battle, as it may decide the outcome of the game. Aday has the upper hand in blocked shots as he boasts the third-best averages in blocks per game with 2.65 and the third most overall with 98. Motiejus Krivas is tied at 17th with 72 blocks, 31st in blocks per game with 1.89.
Arizona has the upper hand in rebounds. Forward Tobe Awaka sits at 28th with 9.1 rebounds per game, while Krivas is 68th (8.2). Awaka's 344 rebounds are the 10th most in the NCAA and Krivas' 312 are tied for 22nd.
Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.