NCAA: Michigan up 33-29 at halftime playing UConn's pace

INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan took a late first-half run fueled by free throws to lead UConn 33-29 in a back-and-forth national championship game Monday night.

Roddy Gayle Jr. followed a missed layup with a two-handed dunk for Michigan, which struggled from beyond the arc, missing all eight of its 3-point attempts in the first half. The period featured six lead changes and eight ties.

Michigan trailed 25-23 with 3:16 left in the half when UConn’s Alex Karaban was called for a defensive foul battling Morez Johnson Jr. for a rebound. After an official review, the foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1 for a hook-and-hold. Michigan made both free throws, and Yaxel Lendeborg added his first basket of the night on the extra possession, giving the Wolverines a 27-25 lead.

The Wolverines got another defensive stop and attacked the paint again. Center Aday Mara hit a left-handed half-hook shot to extend Michigan’s lead to five, forcing UConn coach Dan Hurley to call a timeout.

UConn, known for pushing a fast pace — Michigan is averaging 94.4 points in the NCAA Tournament — struggled with fouls, which helped Michigan overcome its cold shooting start. The Huskies’ 10th team foul came on Tarris Reed Jr. for an illegal screen with 3:58 remaining in the half. By then, Michigan was 9 of 10 from the free-throw line but 0 for 7 from 3-point range, forcing Hurley to manage limited minutes for Reed, Solo Ball, and Silas Demary Jr., each with two fouls in the first 16 minutes.

Ball hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key following Hurley’s timeout, but Mara answered with a strong move over Reed in the paint. Jayden Ross tied the game at 11 with free throws after being fouled by Cadeau on a fast break. Cadeau then picked up his second foul with 6:24 left in the half and had to sit.

Karaban’s second 3-pointer of the game gave UConn a 16-13 lead. Early scoring for Michigan came from Cadeau and Johnson, who combined for the Wolverines’ first 15 points until 7-foot-3 Mara hit a runner off the glass to make it 18-17.

Hobbled in Michigan’s semifinal win over Arizona, Lendeborg did not take a shot in nearly the first 10 minutes. His first points came at the free-throw line. He later tied the game at 20 and briefly gave Michigan a 21-20 lead, erased by Braylon Mullins’ right-wing transition 3.

After halftime, Lendeborg admitted to CBS that his play had been “awful” and “soft,” but he still played all 20 first-half minutes after being cleared from knee and ankle injuries.

—Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media/Reuters