March 29, 2026 — No. 1 seed Michigan dismantled No. 6 seed Tennessee 95-62 in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight at the United Center in Chicago, punching a Final Four berth with the largest margin of victory in an Elite Eight game since 1989. The 33-point drubbing is the largest loss in an NCAA Tournament game in the Tennessee program’s history.
First half: Wolverines seize control early
The game was tied 16-16 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half before Michigan erupted on a 21-0 run — part of a larger 32-10 surge to close the half — that effectively ended the contest. The Wolverines held Tennessee to just 10 points over the final 11 minutes, taking a 48-26 lead into the break. Michigan shot 51.7% from the field in the opening 20 minutes and hit five of 12 three-point attempts, while Tennessee managed just 24.3% shooting.
| Player | Team | PTS | FG | 3PT | REB | AST | MIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yaxel Lendeborg | UM | 27 | 10-19 | 3-9 | 7 | 4 | 35 |
| Trey McKenney | UM | 12 | 3-6 | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Morez Johnson Jr. | UM | 12 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 5 | 0 | 23 |
| Aday Mara | UM | 11 | 4-6 | 1-1 | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| Elliot Cadeau | UM | 8 | 3-7 | 1-2 | 3 | 10 | 34 |
| Ja’Kobi Gillespie | UT | 21 | 8-22 | 4-13 | 4 | 4 | 38 |
| Felix Okpara | UT | 10 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 7 | 1 | 24 |
| Jaylen Carey | UT | 8 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
Second half: Michigan finishes the job
Michigan showed no signs of letting up in the second half, pushing the lead as high as 34 points. The Wolverines finished 51.8% from the field and made 10 three-pointers. Tennessee was plagued by 18 turnovers that led to 21 Michigan points, while the Wolverines committed just nine. Michigan also held a 27-14 bench scoring advantage. Jaylen Carey drew a technical foul with 14:02 remaining as frustrations mounted for the Vols.
Looking ahead
Michigan advances to its ninth Final Four in program history and first since 2018, improving to 35-3. The Wolverines will face No. 2 seed Arizona at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, April 4, on TBS. Tennessee closes the season at 25-12.
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