A mid-game motivational surge from Coach Dusty May sparked Yaxel Lendeborg’s second-half explosion, culminating in a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to lift No. 3 Michigan over No. 23 Wisconsin and into the Big Ten Tournament final.
CHICAGO — The message from Coach Dusty May at halftime was simple and direct. With No. 3 Michigan locked in a tense battle against No. 23 Wisconsin, the Big Ten Player of the Year needed to shed his self-doubt and embrace the moment.
“The gist was that, look, we’re big boys here. We can live with whatever the results are, but we’re not going out like that,” May recounted. “We’re going to be aggressive. … We’re going to let it rip, being us.”
Yaxel Lendeborg listened. The 6-foot-9 forward, who had managed just three points in the first half, erupted after the break. He scored nine of his 12 points in the second half, grabbed two rebounds, dished three assists, and stole the ball—all in the final 20 minutes. His defining moment came with the game tied 65-65 and the United Center crowd on its feet. After teammate Elliot Cadeau drove and drew the defense, he kicked to Lendeborg on the perimeter. Without hesitation, Lendeborg drilled the decisive 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining, a shot that sent him into a frenzy of celebration and Michigan to a 68-65 victory.
“The play call was for me to get the ball down low in the post,” Lendeborg said, explaining the final sequence. “I didn’t do a good job sealing. (Cadeau) had a driving angle. I tried to clear it out for him, and he kept his composure. Didn’t force up a bad shot, made the one more to the open guy, and I happened to be there to make the shot.”
A Season of Transformation and Quiet First Half
Saturday’s heroics were the latest chapter in a breakout season for Lendeborg, a transfer from UAB who has become the engine of Michigan’s offense. He is averaging 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, powering the Wolverines to their first regular-season Big Ten championship since 2021.
Yet, the path to this moment included a major mental hurdle. Lendeborg openly admits he’s endured “a lot of learning points,” including games where he couldn’t shake a bad performance. That pattern seemed to repeat itself. After a modest six-point, six-assist performance in Friday’s quarterfinal win over Ohio State, he was even quieter for the first 20 minutes against Wisconsin, scoring only a late tying 3 before halftime.
“I was really down on myself first half because I felt like I was letting my team down,” Lendeborg said. “Coach was really letting me know he has my back regardless. He wants me to be more aggressive. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.”
The Complete Player: Size Meeting Skill
Lendeborg’s impact extends far beyond scoring. In the second half, he was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and made the critical basketball play on the final sequence by finding the open man. This multifaceted threat is what makes him so difficult to defend, a point not lost on the opposing coach.
“He’s a complete player at 6-9,” Wisconsin’s Greg Gard said. “So you’ve got a guy that can put the ball on the floor. They can try to post him. He can shoot the 3. … The skill set is one thing, but when you combine that with his size, it obviously makes it a very unique matchup.”
That unique combination—a guard’s skill set at a forward’s height—was on full display in the final minutes. His dunk with 10:19 left gave Michigan a 52-39 lead, and his initial offensive rebound and pass to set up Cadeau’s tying 3 with 45 seconds remaining kept Michigan alive when Wisconsin had answered every push.
- First Half: 3 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound. Struggled to find his rhythm.
- Second Half: 9 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal. Perfect 4-for-4 shooting. Delivered the game-winning shot.
- Season Averages: 14.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.2 APG. Big Ten Player of the Year.
What This Means: A Statement Win on the Big Ten’s Grandest Stage
This wasn’t just a tournament semifinal win; it was a statement. Michigan entered the weekend as the clear regular-season conference champion but faced questions about its pedigree in high-pressure knockout games. Beating a ranked Wisconsin squad, which had given them a tough test during the regular season, silences some of that doubt.
For Lendeborg, the game validated his entire season’s work and mental growth. The player who once felt he was “letting his team down” authored his finest hour by channeling halftime frustration into laser focus. His ability to rise to the occasion, after a quiet start, is the hallmark of a true star.
The Wolverines now advance to the Big Ten Tournament final, positioning themselves for a potential automatic bid and solidifying their case for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. The championship game will be another test, but Michigan now has a模板 to follow: get the ball to its All-American forward when the game is on the line.
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