Michigan basketball didn't just win the Players Era Festival Championship; they destroyed the competition with a take-no-prisoners approach.
Even when the Wolverines were up by 20 or 30 points, they played like they were down 20 or 30. It was frantic. Desperate.
The top-ranked defensive team, according to Kenpom (Michigan), reinforced that with another elite effort against Gonzaga in a 101-61 win.
The Wolverines scored over 100 points for the second straight night, and the third time this season. Michigan basketball could have cleared the bench with 10 minutes left in the first half.
Truly, the game was over after a 13-3 run to start. Michigan grabbed a double-digit lead and never relinquished it. Gonzaga made a slight run before half, but the Wolverines closed on a run to take a 24-point lead into the half.
Early in the second, it was clear Gonzaga would have rather stayed in the locker room. Seven minutes in the second half, Michigan had increased its lead by 11. The Wolverines even doubled up the Bulldogs at one point, who were the No. 1 team in the country via Kenpom. That's now Michigan.
The Wolverines should be No. 1 in the AP poll, too, after beating ranked teams into submission on back-to-back nights. San Diego State just beat Oregon by 17, by the way.
Yaxel Lendeborg scored 20 points. He also added 11 rebounds, three assists, four steals, and two blocks. Trey McKenney, the five-star freshman, added 15 points and three triples. Nimari Burnett was a perfect 4-for-4 from deep, scoring 14. Aday Mara tacked on 13 points and four rebounds. Morez Johnson managed 11 and five.
Michigan made 13 3-pointers. The Zags had 3 (15 percent). Michigan won nearly every stat category and here are the gut reactions to a blowout win, and the Players Era Festival Championship.
Yaxel looks like the Player of the Year
Lendeborg scored 17.3 points per game in the three-game tournament and did it on nine shots per game. He shot 62 percent from the field and was 7-of-16 from distance over three games. He stuffed the stat sheet on both ends, whether it was with rebounds, blocks, or steals. He did it all.
Lendeborg looked like a lottery pick. He's also a clear Player of the Year candidate.
Michigan might have the best offense and defense in college hoops
The Wolverines had the No. 1 defense via Kenpom before holding Gonzaga to 61 points. The Bulldogs scored just 0.77 points per possession. Michigan shot 69 percent from 2-point range compared to 42 percent for Gonzaga.
The Bulldogs only managed 32 percent at the rim (dunks/layups). The Wolverines shot 48 percent from 3-point range. They had 29 assists on 60 field goals. It was an annihilation -- the worst loss of Mark Few's career.
What else can you say?
After seven games Michigan looks like the best team in college basketball.