Yaxel Lendeborg limped to the locker room, came roaring back, then made one thing crystal clear after Michigan's 91-73 beatdown of Arizona at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night: he is not sitting out the national championship game. The Wolverines' do-everything forward, who left with an ankle and knee injury before returning to finish with 11 points in 14 minutes, sounded downright defiant after the win and publicly praised God during the postgame. Point guard Elliot Cadeau said the team's mindset has not budged as Michigan shifts its full attention to UConn for tomorrow's title game.
Injury update
Lendeborg was diagnosed with sprains to his left MCL and left ankle after stepping on an opponent's foot and making multiple trips to the locker room before returning in the second half. He told reporters he fully intends to play tomorrow, saying, "I will be on that floor in that game," while Michigan trainer Chris Williams described the presentation as encouraging and laid out an around-the-clock treatment plan. Those details and Williams' assessment were outlined by ESPN.
Players' perspective
In a brief postgame video, Lendeborg delivered a quick injury update and again praised God on Easter weekend, while Cadeau emphasized that the Wolverines remain locked in despite the scare. The postgame clip from ClickOnDetroit captured both players' remarks and the buoyant locker-room vibe after the win. Teammates and coaches said they are prepared to tweak rotations and manage minutes if they have to, all while leaning on Lendeborg's leadership on and off the floor.
What's next
The national championship is set for tomorrow at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the evening tip listed on the stadium's event page. Michigan will face UConn after the Huskies beat Illinois to reach the final, a result chronicled by AP, and the venue schedule is posted on the Lucas Oil Stadium site. Over the next 48 hours, Michigan's medical staff will juggle treatment and minute management to get Lendeborg on the floor while trying to keep the risk in check.
