Vegas Gold: Wolverines Demolish Gonzaga 101-61 to Claim Players Era Title
As I get to know these Wolverines better and better, one thing is clear: Michigan is getting its money’s worth ($3M NIL Deal) with Yaxel Lendeborg. I mean, he is a dominant force in college basketball, and us going to be a BIG problem for whoever the Michigan faces going forward.
If Wednesday night in Vegas was your first time watching Michigan basketball this season, well… welcome to the show. Under the neon glow of the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the Wolverines didn’t just beat Gonzaga — they walked in, grabbed the championship trophy, and basically left the Bulldogs wondering what truck hit them.
No. 7 Michigan absolutely torched No. 12 Gonzaga 101–61 to win the inaugural Players Era Festival, and if you didn’t know this team was for real before tip-off, you sure know it now. This was one of those games where you look up halfway through the first half and think, “Wait… is Michigan this good? Or is Gonzaga having the worst night of their lives?”
Spoiler: it was a whole lot more of the first.
And get this — these teams have only met once before, back in 2019, and Michigan won that championship game too. But this time? It wasn’t even a contest. From the opening possession, Michigan looked like the only ranked team in the building. Bigger. Faster. Sharper. More connected. You could almost hear the rest of the country going, “Hold on… Michigan’s doing what?”
The Wolverines didn’t just win — they demolished Gonzaga. Wire to wire. No drama. No doubt. If you somehow missed the memo on Michigan’s rise… consider this your official wake-up call..
🏀 STAT CAPSULE — Michigan 101, Gonzaga 61
📊 Shooting
- FG%: Michigan 60% | Gonzaga 34%
- 3PT%: Michigan 48% | Gonzaga 14%
💪 Rebounding
- Michigan 44 | Gonzaga 38
🤝 Ball Movement
- Assists: Michigan 29 | Gonzaga 17
📈 Largest Lead: Michigan +46
⭐ Michigan Leaders
- 🏆 Yaxel Lendeborg: 20 pts, 11 reb
- 🔥 Trey McKenney: 17 pts
- 🎯 Nimari Burnett: 14 pts
⭐ Gonzaga Leader
🏹 Tyson Grant-Foster: 14 pts
Michigan’s balance was overwhelming — five players in double figures, relentless rebounding, and flawless ball movement.
Road to the Championship
Michigan came into the title game playing their best basketball of the season. They blasted San Diego State 94–54, then delivered their biggest statement yet with a 102–72 rout of No. 21 Auburn — their largest margin of victory over a ranked power-conference team since 1987.
Gonzaga entered undefeated as well, having battled past No. 8 Alabama and crushed Maryland. On paper, it was a heavyweight showdown. On the floor, it was a knockout.
A Masterclass in Domination
Michigan came out scorching. A 13–3 burst forced Gonzaga into an early timeout, and the Wolverines never looked back. Lendeborg, a UAB transfer, set the pace immediately, drilling two threes and asserting himself as the best player on the floor.
Gonzaga’s top scorer, Graham Ike, went 0-for-8 in the first half — completely erased by Michigan’s length and physicality. The Wolverines hammered the Zags on both ends, shooting 61% in the first half while holding Gonzaga to 32% overall.
At halftime?
Michigan 53, Gonzaga 29.
The second half was even crueler. A 15–2 run ballooned the lead to 72–37, and the Wolverines cruised to a 40-point championship beatdown that will be replayed for years
What’s Next?
The Wolverines return home for a short break before Big Ten play resumes. Rutgers awaits on December 6, and Michigan will enter conference action undefeated, battle-tested, and carrying the most momentum of any team in America.
This wasn’t just a tournament win — it was a shot fired across the entire college basketball landscape.
Is Yaxel Lendeborg the best big man in the Big Ten? Drop a comment below, or join the conversation in the Wolverine Wire — where fans break down every game, every angle.
Info gathered from team reports, pressers & trusted media outlets — the way we always do it at Mitten Sports Talk.
