Skip to main content
Wolverine Digest

Social Media Erupts After Yaxel Lendeborg’s Game-Winning Three Lifts Michigan Over Wisconsin

The Wolverines are now moving on to the Big Ten Finals.
Trent Knoop|
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

Michigan WolverinesWisconsin Badgers

For the second game in a row, it took some late heroics for Michigan to survive in the Big Ten Tournament. But survive and advance they did. The Wolverines got the job done on Friday when Ohio State made a late push and the Maize and Blue had to do the same.

Michigan found itself up 54-39 with just over 10 minutes left in the game, but Wisconsin went on a tear of its own. The Badgers would go on to hit five threes and take a 62-58 lead over the Wolverines. Michigan would stay in the game, but it took the Big Ten Player of the Year to capitalize down the stretch.

As time was winding down, Yaxel Lendeborg would hit a 24-foot three to give Michigan a 68-65 win. With just 0.3 seconds left on the clock, the Badgers' Hail Mary attempt would be denied.

After going 29-2 in the regular season, Michigan's only losses came to the hands of Wisconsin and Duke. The Wolverines were able to avenge their earlier loss to the Badgers and have now split the series 1-1. Wisconsin has been able to give Michigan more than it wants on the court, but Michigan was able to get the win that really counts — getting to the finals.

Leading the charge for Michigan was Aday Mara with 16 points and Elliot Cadeau was right behind him with 15 points. Lendeborg scored 12, but was mostly quiet up until later in the second half. It was back-to-back games that Lendeborg wasn't super aggressive, and let the game come to him.

The Wolverines will now move on to play in the Big Ten Tournament Finals, which will be played on Sunday. Michigan will either get Purdue or UCLA.

After Lendeborg's three went in, social media went berserk. Here are some of the best reactions we could find.

The Big Ten Player of the Year comes through in the clutch

Excellent basketball game between two good programs

One special team

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI during the 2025 football season. Trent also serves as the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI. His other bylines have appeared on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

Share on XFollow @trentknoop
Home/Basketball