Skip to main content

WATCH: Michigan players react to win over Alabama in locker room

Anthony Broomeby: Anthony Broome03/28/26anthonytbroome

CHICAGO – The Michigan Wolverines are onto the Elite Eight after a 90-77 win over Alabama on Friday night at United Center, putting themselves one win away from a Final Four appearance in the second season under head coach Dusty May.

Michigan graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg was a driving force in the win, scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds with 7 assists. He spoke to the media after the game outside the Michigan locker room.

 ”Honestly, it was just playing to our strengths,” Lendeborg said of the victory. “That’s the best offensive team in the country. And we were trying to play them like we had the second-best offensive team, and we do not. Luckily, it was only a two-point game, but in the second half, we just played a lot more physical, tried to bog the game down a little bit more, and make them take tougher shots.

“We got a lot of early blocks, which really made everybody else second-guess their jump shot and it ended up helping our defense get set.”

Lendeborg’s full scrum with the media can be viewed above, and reactions from Michigan players in the locker room can be seen below or on our YouTube channel.

Michigan junior point guard Elliot Cadeau

Junior center Aday Mara

Graduate guard Nimari Burnett

Michigan graduate forward Will Tschetter