NCAA title preview: Michigan, UConn battle for glory
It all comes down to this.
After five months of play, Michigan and UConn will square off Monday in the national title game, looking to etch themselves into the annals of college hoops history.
The Wolverines, who captured their lone title in 1989, seek their second NCAA Tournament championship, while the Huskies are attempting to hunt down their third in the last four years and their seventh overall. A third ring would make Dan Hurley the most decorated active coach in the NCAA.
What: NCAA Tournament championship
When: 8:50 p.m. ET
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
How to watch
| Country | TV/Stream |
|---|---|
| United States 🇺🇸 | TBS/truTV/HBO Max |
| Canada 🇨🇦 | TSN 1/3/4/5 |
Tale of the tape
| UConn | Michigan | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 34-5 | 36-3 |
| Points per game | 76.9 | 87.8 |
| Points allowed per game | 65.1 | 69.7 |
| FG% | 48.1% | 51.1% |
| 3P% | 34.6% | 36.9% |
| FT% | 71.9% | 74.2% |
Top players
Yaxel Lendeborg, a transfer from UAB, leads the Wolverines with 15.1 points per game. He's been great throughout the tournament but suffered an ankle injury in the semifinal against Arizona. Although Lendeborg returned in the second half and said he'll be ready to go Monday, it remains to be seen whether the ailment will slow him down.
Tarris Reed Jr., the Huskies' top scorer (14.8 points per game), has been on an absolute tear of late, averaging 20.8 points during the tournament. The senior has recorded three double-doubles in five tourney outings, including a 31-point, 27-rebound performance in the first round against Furman.
How the teams got here
After putting together a prolific regular-season campaign, Michigan obtained the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region despite falling to Purdue in the Big Ten championship. UConn received the No. 2 seed in the East Region following some shaky play down the stretch. The Huskies lost to St. John's in the Big East Tournament final.
Road to the final
| UConn | Michigan | |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 64 | Won 82-71 vs. Furman | Won 101-80 vs. Howard |
| Round of 32 | Won 73-57 vs. UCLA | Won 95-72 vs. Saint Louis |
| Sweet 16 | Won 67-63 vs. Michigan State | Won 90-77 vs. Alabama |
| Elite Eight | Won 73-72 vs. Duke | Won 95-62 vs. Tennessee |
| Final Four | Won 71-62 vs. Illinois | Won 91-73 vs. Arizona |
👉 Read our takeaways from the Final Four games: Michigan KOs Arizona, Hurley's legend grows
Betting
UConn is a 6.5-point underdog despite Hurley being 18-1 in NCAA Tournament games over the last four years. Michigan dominated a highly touted Arizona squad in the semifinals, setting the stage for what should be an epic clash between two college basketball powerhouses.
Betting writers Sam Oshtry and Brenden Deeg laid out their cases for a pick against the spread, an over/under selection on the game's total, and their favorite player prop for Monday's finale. Read about those here.