No. 7 Michigan streamrolls No. 12 Gonzaga to win Players Era title

James Hawkins, The Detroit News on Nov 26, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

LAS VEGAS — The Wolverines delivered a TKO in the first two rounds of the Players Era to reach the title fight.

All that stood in No. 7 Michigan’s way of a tournament trophy and an additional $1 million NIL compensation was No. 12 Gonzaga.

But what was expected to be a heavyweight bout turned into another one-sided smackdown as Michigan pummeled Gonzaga, 101-61, in the Players Era championship game on Wednesday at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Yaxel Lendeborg had 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead five double-digit scorers for Michigan (7-0), which shot 60% from the field, made 13 3-pointers and turned in another stellar two-way performance.

After racing out to a quick double-digit lead and building a 24-point halftime lead, the Wolverines sputtered out of the break. They turned it over on their first three possessions and four times in the first 2:30 of the second half.

Yet, it hardly mattered as the defense remained stiff and continued to give Gonzaga fits. Things only continued to get worse for the Bulldogs as one of their top players, Braden Huff, picked up three fouls in the span of 47 seconds and headed to the bench.

And once Michigan’s offense kicked back into gear, the Wolverines put the game on ice with a pair of haymakers and ran Gonzaga out of the building.

During a 12-0 burst, the Wolverines had a five-point possession where Nimari Burnett (14 points) rattled in a 3-pointer, Michigan kept the ball after Roddy Gayle Jr. was fouled underneath on the shot and Aday Mara (13 points) followed with a bucket at the rim. Michigan’s lead swelled to 72-37 with 12:53 remaining.

Then during a 17-2 flurry, Michigan put on a show with an array of 3-pointers and highlight-reel dunks. A blocked shot by Morez Johnson Jr. (11 points) preceded an and-1 slam by Lendeborg. A steal by Gayle led to a reverse fast-break dunk by Lendeborg. The Wolverines took their largest lead, 89-43, with 8:05 to go.

From there, the Wolverines coasted to the finish line and the big NIL payday. It marked the second straight year Michigan won an early-season tournament under coach Dusty May, after winning the Fort Myers Tip-Off title last season.

Tyon Grant Forster had 14 points and Huff scored 14 before fouling out for Gonzaga (7-1), which shot 33.8% from the field and finished 3 for 22 from 3-point range.

Michigan set the tone with strong starts and raced out to double-digit leads in its first two Players Era matchups, a 40-point drubbing of San Diego State and a 30-point whipping of No. 21 Auburn.

The Wolverines kept that trend going and showed no signs of slowing down against Gonzaga. They disrupted the Bulldogs with their size around the basket. They knocked down their first four shots, including a pair of 3-pointers from Lendeborg, and started 13 for 17 from the field.

A hustle play by Lendeborg after a turnover led to a steal and a fast-break layup by Elliot Cadeau to cap a string of eight unanswered points. Michigan took a 13-3 lead and forced a Gonzaga timeout roughly three minutes into the game.

The Wolverines size continued to give the Bulldogs problems in the paint on both ends. Mara scored three times down low, including a two-handed dunk that drew a technical foul when he pulled himself up on the rim.

After pounding Gonzaga inside, the Wolverines hit a string of 3-pointers — one each from Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney (17 points) and Burnett within a two-minute span — to push Michigan’s lead to 33-14 and force another Gonzaga timeout with 10:44 left in the first half.

Gonzaga battled back during a rough stretch for Michigan where Johnson was called for a flagrant foul on a hook and hold, the Wolverines made one shot over a five-minute stretch and Huff hit a flurry of short shots in the paint. But the Bulldogs could only whittle the deficit down to 13 before Michigan pulled away with a strong finish that Lendeborg had his fingerprints all over.

Lendeborg grabbed a rebound off a missed free throw and scored on a put-back. He scored again at the rim. During a 30-second sequence, he blocked a shot at the rim, made two free throws, came away with a steal and assisted on a Burnett 3-pointer. That punctuated an 11-1 run over the final 3:46 as Michigan took a commanding 53-29 into the break.