CHICAGO — All of those who filed into United Center in Chicago got exactly what was advertised: Two of the most prolific offenses in college basketball squaring off in a win-or-go-home game.
At least, in the first half.
The No. 1 seed Michigan men's basketball team (34-3) took off in the second half to defeat No. 4 seed Alabama (25-10) 90-77, advancing to the Elite Eight to take on the winner of Iowa State and Tennessee.
The Crimson Tide caught the Wolverines flat-footed in the opening, rocketing out to an early 11-2 lead. Alabama fired away from deep and crashed the offensive glass hard — that's what its done all year, and that's what its good at.
Michigan regained its balance with a smooth 9-0 run out of the first media timeout, but the frantic pace of the game lingered.
The Crimson Tide baited the Michigan into playing just outside of its comfort zone. The Wolverines like to run the floor, yes, but Alabama forced them into neglecting their interior identity in favor of perimeter-centric play.
Despite not playing its usual style, Michigan kept up.
Freshman guard Trey McKenney knocked in three 3-pointers in the first half, while senior guard Roddy Gayle Jr. and graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg added two of their own. Riding this shooting, the Wolverines embarked on a 14-3 to open a 47-41 lead with 1:58 to play in the first period.
The Crimson Tide got the final word in the half, however, closing on a 8-0 run to take a 49-47 lead into the break.
The start of the second half was unabated chaos. In the first eight minutes of the period, there was only one extended stoppage in play. And this time, it was Michigan's turn to catch Alabama on its heels.
Lendeborg came out of the break in attack mode, netting eight early points to led the Wolverines on a 13-2 run to open the half. He set the tone of the half, parlaying an ankle-breaker into a 3-point bucket.
Alabama hit a couple of 3-pointers to form a tourniquet, but the Wolverines were flowing and there wasn't much anyone could do to stop them.
Off of missed shots, Michigan was still running in transition, but it was under much more control than it was in the first half. In half-court offense, Gayle hit another right-corner triple, McKenney put down a layup, and junior guard Elliot Cadeau hit a 3-pointer to pull off a quick 8-0 run.
The Crimson Tide couldn't find their rhythm from beyond the arc, and Michigan feasted on the momentum. So, as the clock ticked under 10 minutes to play, the Wolverines had opened up a sizable 75-60 lead.
The pace of the game slowed in the final quarter of play. Michigan had already built a a double-digit lead, so there was no reason to rush down to the court and give Alabama extra possessions to close the gap. Instead, the Wolverines worked the ball inside, drew fouls, and got to the free throw line.
Alabama crawled within eight points, but the Wolverines didn't allow the lead to constrict any further than that. The Crimson Tide were ice cold in the second half, and Michigan had a resolute answer for every push they tried to make. So, as the final media timeout concluded with 3:37 to play, the Wolverines nursed an 84-72 lead.
The demoralized Crimson Tide had nothing left, and Michigan cruised to its first regional finals appearance since 2021. With a Wolverines-dominant crowd at its back, Michigan earned at least one more game in the 2026 season.
