Michigan Proves it has a Level Nobody can Reach With Beatdown of Arizona

It was supposed to be the ‘Game of the Year’ in college basketball. Instead, it was like every other Michigan non-conference game. A beatdown.

The Wolverines treated Arizona like it was a low-level mid major program, winning 91-73 to advance to the National Championship Game where it will battle UConn.

The game was over quickly after Michigan jumped out to a 26-10 start after ten minutes and the final score was not indicative of how lopsided the game was.

The closest Arizona would get was five, 28-23, after a 13-2 run but it wouldn’t matter.

Dusty May’s team led by 16 points, 48-32, at halftime despite Yaxel Lendeborg only playing five minutes due to foul trouble and an ankle sprain and Elliot Cadeau shooting 2-for-14 from the floor.

Like it showed in November and December, Michigan has a level that no other team in the country can reach after Aday Mara went for 15 points in the first half and finished with 26 points for the game.

Michigan led by as many as 30 points, 77-47, midway through the second half after an 11-2 run which was capped off by a 3-pointer from Trey McKinney, who finished with 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from downtown.

After halftime, the Wolverines hit 7-of-11 3-pointers and shot 16-of-28 from the floor. It treated Arizona just like it did Aubrun, Gonzaga, and Villanova in its non-conference schedule.

Arizona, who rolled through the Big 12 Conference, was shell shocked and couldn’t recover. The Wildcats shot 36.6-percent from the floor for the game and 6-for-17 from 3-point range.

Despite four players finishing in double figures including a combined 42 points from Koa Peat, Jaden Bradley, and Brayden Burries, it wasn’t close to enough to competing with the Wolverines. Most of the points from all three players were late in the second half when the outcome was already determined.

The battle between the Wolverines and Huskies on Monday night in fascinating. The talent and dominance that Michigan has shown all season must match the championship pedigree, prestige, and determination of UConn.

It could deliver an epic National Championship.