Arizona
Michigan overpowers Arizona in NCAA Tournament semifinal
Breaking down Michigan basketball victory over Arizona in Final Four
Breaking down Michigan basketball victory over Arizona in Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
INDIANAPOLIS — All season long, the Arizona Wildcats owned the paint. They made more free throws than their opponents attempted. They were secure with the ball. On the few occasions they trailed, they found a way to “figure it out,” as head coach Tommy Lloyd often put it.
This time, there was no figuring it out.
Michigan overpowered Arizona, 91-73, on April 4 in front of 72,111 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium in the second NCAA Tournament semifinal. The win sends the Wolverines (36-3) into the championship game on April 6 against Connecticut (34-5), a 71-62 winner over Illinois earlier in the night.
With 51 seconds left and the Wolverines up by 23, coach Dusty May called a timeout for the opportunity to pull his starters. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd did the same.
Moments later, Arizona players strolled off the court, expressions of disbelief across their faces. Jaden Bradley and Koa Peat walked through the tunnel arm in arm, Peat with a towel draped over his head. The Wildcats weren’t just beaten. They were manhandled, something completely unfamiliar for a team whose only two regular-season losses were by a combined seven points.
Lloyd admitted it will probably take a few days to process.
“I thought we had a chance to win this four-team tournament,” Lloyd said. “Obviously, Michigan had other thoughts today. We’ll get back home and take a breath. But I know, myself, no loss at the end of the season feels great. But I also think that it can be a great learning tool.
“So we’re going to take a breath, probably try to figure out what our roster looks like next year, and like I’ve always said, in this business, as a coach, you’ve got to be tough enough to take disappointment and show back up. And we’re going to show back up. We’re going to try to do this again, but see if we can do it a little bit better.”
The Wildcats (36-3) were making their fifth appearance in the Final Four, but the first since 2001 when they made the title tilt. Their only championship came way back in 1997. Many national pundits thought this was the year the school could break that long drought. The Wildcats defeated 14 nationally ranked teams, the most by a team since rankings started. They were battle-tested, winning both the Big 12 regular-season title and the conference tournament.
But Michigan came in battle-tested, too. It is one of the few teams that has the size to match up with the Wildcats. That made all the difference.
Arizona has a 7-foot-2 behemoth in Mo Krivas, but Michigan countered with 7-3 Aday Mara. Mara, who previously played at UCLA, tallied 26 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. The Wolverines also started a pair of 6-9 forwards in Morez Johnson and Yaxel Lendeborg, who combined for another 21 points and 10 rebounds. Michigan finished with a 19-12 edge in second-chance points.
Lendeborg sprained an ankle in the first half. He returned in the second but played just 15 minutes in the game, although it was an impactful 15 minutes.
“Their size really impacted the game,” Lloyd said. “I felt that. I see they only have Mara down for two blocks. There’s no way. I could think of three that he tipped, you know what I mean, just right off the top of my head.
“They’re one of those teams — I would say, like, Houston’s like that, or even Iowa State’s like that, teams we played. You have to play them a few times. And after you kind of get used to playing them a few times, you get more comfortable. I wish we had another crack at it, but we don’t. And so they get a ton of credit.”
Michigan came in as a 1.5-point favorite, which indicated the game was a toss-up. But it was never close.
The Wildcats trailed 48-32 at the half, the largest deficit the team has faced at any point this season. That hill to climb got steeper at 23 points just 5 minutes into the second half and was up to 30 at 77-47 with 10:31 left. There was no coming back from that.
Part of the disappointment comes from the fact that next season the team will look a lot different. For many, this was their shot. Three of the top seven are graduating, and freshmen phenoms Koa Peat and Brayden Burries are likely to head to the NBA.
Peat won four state titles at Perry High School, so ending the season with a loss is something unfamiliar. He says he took pride in being a hometown kid and representing the state.
Peat accompanied Lloyd to the postgame interview room along with Burries, Bradley, and Lloyd, but had his head buried in his arm when others were answering questions.
“It means everything to me. Being a kid from Arizona, putting on this jersey, having Arizona across my chest,” he said. “Like I said at the beginning of the season, when I put Arizona across my chest, I’m going to go 110% every game and leave no regrets. I’m just really thankful for the brand and the program for everything they did for me, and these teammates right here. I’m just super blessed. And it was a special year, and I’m just really thankful for everybody in Tucson.”
Players were asked to reflect on their favorite moments of the season. Each said it wasn’t one win, it was more about the time they spent together.
“I would say just, on and off the court,” Bradley said. “I feel like you really get to figure your teammates out, know what they’re like, meet their families. Just stuff beyond basketball. I felt like it brings you closer on the court, and I feel like we did a lot of stuff like that this year.”
Arizona shot just 36.6% (26-for-71), which included a 6-for-17 from deep. Peat had 16 points, but it took a 6-for-18 showing from the field. Burries and Anthony Dell’Orso each had 13, but Burries was only 4-for-16 from the field and 2-for-10 from deep. The Wildcats tallied 14 turnovers, which allowed Michigan to finish with a 26-12 advantage in points off turnovers.
Michigan shot 47.8% (33-for-69), including a 12-for-27 from deep.
“I think a lot of it is simply match-ups,” May said. “When we’ve played this model, this Arizona model this year — and they’re the souped-up version, they’re the steroid version of Gonzaga and these other teams — we just felt like if a team relies on scoring 15 feet and in, with Aday and Morez and Yaxel and Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle, because of our size, length, it’s going to be tough to score enough points 15 feet and in, if we’re making some shots and we’re in a decent rhythm offensively. We matched up well with Arizona better than we have some other teams this year.”
Before the season, Big 12 coaches predicted TCU would win the conference with Arizona finishing second. Neither team has lived up to those expectations so far, but for one night the Wildcats looked the part of a contender.
The UA won 4-3 at TCU on Friday night in the opener of a 3-game series, only the second time in Big 12 play it has started off a weekend with a win. And combined with Wednesday’s victory over New Mexico State gives the Wildcats (12-21, 4-9) their first consecutive wins since mid-March
A sacrifice fly by Maddox Mihalakis scored pinch runner TJ Adams in the top of the 9th, then in the bottom of the inning Garrett Hicks stranded the tying run at third base and the winning run at second with a strikeout.
Mihalakis drove in two runs, as did No. 9 hitter Mathis Meurant, while Tony Lira was 4 for 5 for Arizona, which led 3-1 before TCU (20-13, 7-6).
Those tying runs came against starter Owen Kramkowski, who had one of his best starts of the season. The junior right-hander struck out nine and didn’t allow a walk over 6.2 innings, retiring 12 in a row at one point before the Horned Frogs recorded four hits in the 7th including back-to-back run-scoring singles with two out.
Maclain Roberts finished out the 7th and then threw a scoreless 8th to get the win, then Hicks picked up his fourth save.
Arizona and TCU will play a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 12 p.m. PT, a change in the schedule due to rain in the forecast on Sunday. One win will give the Wildcats their first Big 12 series win this season.
Michigan wins 2026 national championship in Indianapolis
Michigan caps a dominant season by beating Connecticut to win the 2026 men national championship in Indianapolis.
After soaking up appreciation from Tucson fans for their Final Four appearance last weekend, the Arizona Wildcats received some statewide love this week.
On Thursday, April 9, the Arizona House of Representatives and state Senate both proclaimed April 9, “Arizona Wildcats Day,” honoring the UA men’s basketball team for its Final Four season.
The Wildcats then attended a UA luncheon in Scottsdale where they met with fans and school officials, all celebrating their 36-win record, Big 12 title and NCAA Tournament achievements.
The Wildcats wore gray UA basketball polo shirts and rode a bus to Phoenix that morning, appearing first on the House of Representatives floor, where they were greeted with cheers and praise from Speaker Steve Montenegro.
“This year’s squad brought the magic back in a way that unified fans across the entire state in just a short period of time,” Montenegro said. “They have represented our university and our state with heart, with discipline and with class, both on and off the court.
“I know that everyone in this chamber, and especially Wildcat fans across Arizona, share my excitement that coach Lloyd and the team is here, and they are here to stay with his vision and the culture that he’s building.”
While saying that “you guys have got a lot more important work to take care of than honoring us,” Tommy Lloyd then thanked the legislators for their support.
“We understand that you guys are truly our biggest supporters, and we know there’s boosters, there’s businesses, all those things involved,” Lloyd said. “We also understand the state of Arizona is behind everything we do, and you guys are truly our biggest donors and our biggest supporters.
“So we thank you for everything. It’s an honor to represent you guys, and you’re right, Steve, this is just the beginning. We look forward to recreating this and doing this again, and without your support, that wouldn’t be possible.”
The Arizona Senate followed with a similar proclamation, noting the Wildcats’ Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, 36 wins and Final Four appearance — and “the national recognition it brings to our state.”
After the Senate proclamation, Senate President Warren Petersen asked Lloyd what the secret was behind why Arizona always had “awesome basketball teams.”
“I think it’s simple, because it’s something that was built before all of us came,” Lloyd said. “Coach (Fred) Snowden, coach (Lute) Olson, these guys did an amazing job building the foundation for a program that became a national program and had a ton of success.
“Coach (Sean) Miller continued to build on it. We’re fortunate for those that came before us, and we have an amazing tradition, history and a legacy.
“And we want to thank you guys, because to be honest with you, the government is our biggest supporter. We’re a state institution, and the investment you make in the University of Arizona allows us to do what we do. So we’re thankful for everyone that gets behind our program and supports it and helps us continue to build on this tradition and legacy.”
Rim shots
– Departing senior guard Jaden Bradley posted a formal thanks to UA coaches, players and fans on social media, announcing he is declaring for the NBA draft (regardless of any potential rule changes that might allow for more eligibility). “This journey has meant everything to me,” Bradley posted. “It (has) been a rollercoaster but I’ve grown, matured, and become a better man because of it.”
– Reports surfaced on April 9 that transferring Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad has canceled a planned visit to Arizona early next week. Three 247 staffers have posted predictions that he would pick Louisville, where he was scheduled to visit this weekend.
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Diana Taurasi, the iconic Phoenix Mercury player who spent her entire 20-year WNBA career with the team, was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame on April 9. Taurasi, a three-time WNBA champion and six-time Olympic gold medalist, was celebrated for her immense impact on the Mercury and women’s basketball in Arizona.
Why it matters
Taurasi’s induction into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame is a testament to her unparalleled achievements and legacy with the Phoenix Mercury. As one of the greatest players in WNBA history, her selection highlights the Mercury’s status as a premier franchise and the growth of women’s professional sports in the state.
The details
Taurasi was drafted by the Mercury as the No. 1 overall pick in 2004 and went on to lead the team to three WNBA championships in 2007, 2009, and 2014. She was named WNBA Finals MVP in 2009 and 2014, and WNBA MVP in 2009. Outside of the Mercury, Taurasi represented the U.S. national team, winning six Olympic gold medals, the most of any U.S. basketball player.
- Taurasi was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame on April 9, 2026.
- Taurasi will be inducted into the Mercury’s Ring of Honor on August 16, 2026.
The players
Diana Taurasi
A legendary WNBA player who spent her entire 20-year career with the Phoenix Mercury, leading the team to three championships and winning six Olympic gold medals with the U.S. national team.
Penny Taylor
Taurasi’s wife and former teammate on the Phoenix Mercury.
Jerry Colangelo
The former owner of the Phoenix Mercury who Taurasi credits for setting the team on a path to success and longevity.
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What they’re saying
“It’s just incredible. Being here for 20 years now, it’s home. Thinking back on all the things we’ve accomplished when we came in 2004, winning championships, making sure that the Phoenix Mercury were the gold standard in the WNBA.”
— Diana Taurasi, WNBA Player
“It’s the fans who did it all. We have the most loyal and amazing fans of all time. The X-Factor was always there. No matter what kind of season we were having, they were always there supporting us and building that community. It’s definitely a treat.”
— Diana Taurasi, WNBA Player
“He kind of set the path to the winning, to the longevity in being here because he’s that type of guy.”
— Diana Taurasi, WNBA Player
What’s next
Taurasi will be inducted into the Phoenix Mercury’s Ring of Honor on August 16, 2026, joining other franchise legends.
The takeaway
Diana Taurasi’s induction into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame solidifies her status as one of the greatest players in WNBA history and a true icon of women’s basketball in the state. Her two-decade tenure with the Mercury, three championships, and six Olympic gold medals have cemented her legacy as a transformative figure who helped elevate the sport to new heights.
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