The last time Michigan basketball won the national championship, the Wolverines beat Illinois on their way to winning it all.
On Saturday, two experts for the Big Ten Network, Andy Katz and Rapheal Davis, predicted that history would repeat itself, in the best way possible for Michigan.
Will history repeat itself for Michigan at the Final Four?
Katz, a long-time college basketball analyst, one of the most well-known in the sport, predicted Michigan and Illinois to win their Final Four games, setting up an All-Big Ten title game. Davis, the 2015 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for Purdue, and a Big Ten Network analyst, picked the same thing. He even predicted that Michigan would beat Arizona by 20.
🚨 @TheAndyKatz and @RaphealDavis3 are predicting an ALL @B1GMBBall Final, and they are agree on the eventual National Champion... 👀 pic.twitter.com/wea9anVnwK
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) April 3, 2026
Katz, who predicted Michigan would beat Arizona in a 90-85 track meet, said that the Wolverines could cut down the nets on Monday night.
"Back at the beginning of the season, when things were going well, I said I think we could have a repeat of 1989 when Michigan and Illinois were in the Final Four. Michigan won in 1989. Michigan is going to win again in 2026", Katz said.
Michigan did beat Illinois by double digits to clinch the Big Ten championship in their only meeting this season. Another matchup for the national title would be extremely intense, but that's the case no matter who the opponent is.
Michigan has won six straight national semifinal games dating back to 1975. The Wolverines are 1-5 on Monday night in the championship round. They need to exorcise some demons, and maybe another Final Four matchup against Illinois will do the trick.