INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan point guard Elliot Cadeau said he’s feeling fine after a nut allergy scare delayed his arrival to the Final Four.

As the men’s basketball team was getting ready to bus to the airport Wednesday during a celebratory sendoff outside of Crisler Center, Cadeau required medical attention for a slight allergic reaction.

Cadeau didn’t make the trip with his teammates and ended up being loaded into an ambulance on a gurney after he accidentally ate cashew nuts that were on a piece of salmon.

Cadeau, who traveled and met the team in Indianapolis on Thursday morning, said he had an awful experience when he was in fifth grade, which is why he immediately alerted the medical staff. This time around, things didn’t turn out as bad, and he only had “a little bit of hives.”

“It was a little scary, because I've had a reaction like that before in my life, and it was bad,” Cadeau said. “That's why I went to the hospital so quickly, because I was scared it would be bad. But it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.”

Cadeau added he’s been cleared by the medical staff. The Wolverines will practice Thursday and Friday ahead of Saturday night’s national semifinal against Arizona at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“Everything is good,” he said. “It’s just relief. I was good the whole time. I feel like it wasn't as dramatic as it seemed. I was chilling the whole time. I never felt nervous about it.”

For some of Cadeau’s teammates, though, the medical incident was a little unsettling in the moment.

“It was concerning having a situation like that,” guard Roddy Gayle Jr. said. “But luckily, we have a really good support staff, whether it's our dietitian, nutritionist, trainers and doctors, with them being able to get on top of things like that, make sure he's here with us and ready to play.”

Added guard Trey McKenney: “Unfortunate stuff happens sometimes, but it’s good to see him and know that he's OK.”

Fellow starting guard Nimari Burnett said he was “zero percent concerned” because he knew the team had all the resources at its disposal to help Cadeau and get him back to health.

“When he walked off the bus, it wasn't anything alarming; it was just precaution,” Burnett said. “I'm relieved to see him here and see him in good spirits.”

That’s because Michigan is going to need him against Arizona in the clash of No. 1 seeds and a battle between the nation’s top two teams in KenPom’s rankings. Cadeau is the straw that stirs the drink and he’s been running an offense that’s averaging an eye-popping 95.3 points on 55.9% shooting in the NCAA Tournament.

Cadeau has started all 38 games for Michigan this season and is averaging 10.2 points and a team-high 5.8 assists in 27 minutes per game. After Michigan’s backcourt took a hit with backup point guard L.J. Cason suffering a season-ending ACL injury, Cadeau has seen his playing time increase — up to 32.1 minutes in the nine games since Cason went down.

Burnett, Gayle and McKenney also receive plenty of minutes in the backcourt mix, but neither of them are the type of ball handler and facilitator that Cadeau is. In Michigan’s four March Madness wins, Cadeau’s scoring has remained steady (10.5 points), but his assists have shot up (8.3).

“The assist numbers may not show it, but I believe he's the best passer in the country,” Burnett said. “Just the IQ, him seeing the game before it even happens a lot of the times, it's been a joy to play with.”

Cadeau dished out nine assists against Howard, seven apiece against Saint Louis and Alabama, and had 10 in the Elite Eight win over Tennessee that sent the team to its first Final Four since 2018.

“I think we've been playing with tremendous pace. I think in transition, he’s been able to kick the ball up, push the ball up the floor and create offense for us,” Gayle said. “I think our ball movement has been unreal these past few games, which has allowed everybody to get in a rhythm and just feel comfortable.”

On the other end, Michigan will rely on Cadeau to be a defensive pest and make Arizona point guard Jaden Bradley as uncomfortable as possible.

The Big 12 Player of the Year and a third-team All-American selection, Bradley heads an Arizona attack that has five players averaging double figures in scoring. He’s scored as many as 27 points in a game this season and has scored at least 14 points in each of Arizona’s last three March Madness wins against Utah State, Arkansas and Purdue.

“I'm blessed to be able to go against people like that,” Cadeau said. “I always look forward to it, because he’s a great guard. In the Big Ten, I matched up against a lot of great point guards, and it does nothing but help me get better.”

Going against other point guards who received more accolades and recognition than Cadeau, who earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention nod, tends to bring the best out of him. In the Jan. 30 win at Michigan State, he had a 17-point, six-assist performance. In the Feb. 17 win at Purdue, he posted 17 points and seven assists. And in the March 14 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament, he scored 15 and was part of two key plays in the final minute.

The Wolverines are going to need that version of Cadeau to show up again against Arizona after what’s been a worrisome 24 hours.

“Very unfortunate for him to have to go through that. If it's the worst thing that happens to us, then we're very blessed,” coach Dusty May said. “It also just shows him how much he means to his teammates. They were very concerned, obviously, like we all would be for a reaction like that.

“But just grateful that he's fine. We have great medical care, and he's back with us. Dude is a warrior. He'll be fine.”

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