Former AWC Star Yaxel Lendeborg leads Michigan to NCAA Title
INDIANAPOLIS (KYMA) - From Yuma to the top of college basketball, Yaxel Lendeborg has officially reached the summit.
The former AWC standout played a key role as Michigan Wolverines men's basketball took down the UConn Huskies men's basketball 69-63 to win the 2026 NCAA National Championship, the program's first title since 1989.
Michigan didn't have it easy.
UConn controlled much of the early tempo, slowing the game down and forcing the Wolverines out of transition.
Lendeborg, the team's All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year, struggled early, going just 1-for-5 in the first half while battling through a knee injury.
But championship teams adjust, and Michigan did just that.
A late first-half surge flipped the momentum, as the Wolverines closed on a 10-4 run to take a 33-29 lead into the break. From there, it became a game of control, and Michigan's size made the difference.
Led by their dominant frontcourt, the Wolverines protected the rim, forced tough shots, and held UConn to just 63 points.
Michigan recorded multiple second-half blocks and contested nearly everything inside, disrupting any rhythm the Huskies tried to build.
While Elliot Cadeau earned Most Outstanding Player honors with 19 points, and Morez Johnson Jr. anchored the defense with a double-double, Lendeborg's impact went beyond the stat sheet.
Even clearly not at full strength, he fought through injury, stayed on the floor, and finished with 13 points, providing energy, leadership, and toughness in the biggest game of the season.
The defining moment came late.
After UConn cut the lead to six, Michigan’s Trey McKenney knocked down a clutch three-pointer with under two minutes to play, a dagger that pushed the lead to nine and effectively sealed the championship.
From there, the Wolverines closed it out.
For Michigan, the win snaps a 26-year championship drought for the Big Ten and caps off a dominant 37-3 season.
But for those in Yuma, this story hits even closer to home.
Just four years ago, Lendeborg was playing junior college basketball at Arizona Western. Now, he's a national champion, a Big Ten Player of the Year, and one of the biggest names in college basketball.
Proof that no matter where you start, the journey can take you all the way to the top.
