Looking back at Michigan basketball's dominant run to the Final Four, winning its four games by an average of 22.5 points, here are three takeaways.
1. Yaxel Lendeborg is the best player on the court at all times.
Yaxel has been on an absolute tear so far in the tournament. He has dominated games on both ends of the court. He can handle the ball, shoot it from the outside, take it to the rim, guard any position and do pretty much anything else that is needed. He has been a force for the Wolverines, averaging 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Aside from his stats, Yaxel sets the tone for the Wolverines. The full court dunk vs St. Louis, the lob dunks vs Alabama, and the reverse finish vs Tennessee were all plays that gave Michigan basketball serious momentum. He is playing like the Big Ten Player of the Year that he is, and he is the best player on the court, no matter who the opponent is for Michigan.
2. The bench has been on fire
One of the strengths of this Michigan team all year has been its bench.
The Wolverines went nine deep the entire year until the unfortunate injury to LJ Cason. This tournament has seen Trey Mckenney, Roddy Gayle and Will Tschetter come off the bench and have a huge impact. Tschetter was called the heart and soul of this Michigan team by Nimari Burnett and his impact can not be underestimated.
The locker room needs a morale guy like Will during an NCAA tournament run, and if he contributes a made three, rebounding and great defense, then even better. McKenney and Gayle could and would start on just about every other team in college basketball.
"March Roddy" Gayle was named to the Midwest All-Region team. His biggest came against Alabama when he dropped 16 points off the bench. He is also a great defender and rebounder and is able to guard 1-4 on the court. Roddy is a guy who, even if his stats aren't popping off the page, is making a huge impact on the game because he does so many things well.
Trey McKenney is a name that you constantly hear the coaching staff bring up because of how good he is as a freshman. He is built like a senior and is the best shooter on the team. His ability to provide instant offense for this team is critical. He is a critical piece to stretch the floor and give the big men room to work down low. He averaged just under 15 points vs Alabama and Tennessee. The bench will need to continue to play well for the Wolverines if they want to be the last ones to cut down nets.
3. Balanced Attack
The No. 1 reason I believe this Michigan team is so good is because of how balanced they are. They have seven guys who can lead them in scoring on any given night. When guys have bad games, their teammates pick them up.
We have seen it play out all year, and it has continued in the tournament. If you watch Dusty's post-game speeches to the team, he is constantly preaching the importance of being unselfish and not letting your ego get in the way of team success. This team has bought into that message, and the only thing that matters is the team winning, no matter how they get the job done.