Recap and highlights: No. 7 Michigan dismantles No. 12 Gonzaga 101-61 in Players Era Festival championship
LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga came into Wednesday’s matchup with No. 7 Michigan seeking a Players Era Championship, a $1 million paycheck and another top-10 win to bolster its nonconference resume.
All the Zags got at MGM Grand Garden Arena was a painful dose of their own medicine.
There was a $500,000 consolation prize, too, but that was the last thing on anyone’s mind after a 101-61 undressing from Michigan, which scored 53 points in the first half and continued to press the issue in the second while clinching a Players Era championship and simultaneously handing No. 12 Gonzaga its first loss of the year.
Through the first seven games of the season, the Zags built their reputation as an elite defensive team that was strong on the boards and formidable in the paint.
To say Gonzaga finally met its match in Wednesday’s championship would be an understatement.
The silver lining? The Zags won’t have to see the Wolverines again for at least another four months, and perhaps not at all if the teams don’t link up in the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan led wire to wire, building a double-digit advantage early and opening a game-high 46-point lead late in the second half.
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The Wolverines were impenetrable on defense, holding All-American candidate forward Graham Ike to a single point on 0 of 9 shooting and 0 of 3 from the 3-point line. It marked just the third time in Ike’s career (123 total games) he finished without a field goal. Ike’s nine misses without a made shot signified a career high.
Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, who claimed Tuesday on the TNT set the Wolverines had the nation’s best frontcourt, backed up his words by scoring 20 points to go with 11 rebounds and three assists.
Guard Trey McKenney had 17 points on 6 of 9 shooting and 3 of 5 from the 3-point line and three other Wolverines finished in double figures on a day where Dusty May’s team shot 36 of 60 (60%) from the field and 13 of 27 (48%) from the 3-point line.
The Zags (7-1) now face an eight-day layoff before returning to the court Dec. 5 to play No. 19 Kentucky (5-2) at Bridgestone Arena in Nasvhille.
First half
19:51 – UM 3, GU 0: Wolverines win the jump and Lendenborg wastes no time nailing a 3-pointer to open the scoring. We’re under way in Las Vegas.
16:49 – UM 13, GU 3: Tremendous start for Michigan, which gets Gonzaga to call an early timeout on an 8-0 run.
Lendeborg has been a problem early with his size and has two 3-pointers. Wolverines also playing solid defense, limiting GU to 2 of 6 from the field and no offensive rebounds.
15:56 – UM 13, GU 5: Huff gets a shot to fall out of the timeout to snap the Wolverines run. Michigan ball after the first media timeout.
11:34 – UM 27, GU 14: Michigan’s size has completely stunned the Zags early, building a lead as large as 17 with dominant play on both ends of the court.
Wolverines are 11 of 15 from the field, led by center Mara, who has eight points. UM will shoot two free throws on the other end of the U12 media timeout.
Zags offense has felt clunky, struggling to get easy looks inside. GU 6 of 15 from the field and 1 of 4 on 3-pointers, still without an offensive rebound.
10:41 – UM 33, GU 14: Back-to-back 3s by McKenney and Burnett lead to another Gonzaga timeout. This one is getting ugly quick as the Wolverines are 13 of 17 from the field and 5 of 8 on 3-pointers.
7:59 – UM 38, GU 19: Wolverines still enjoying their largest lead of the game at the U8 media timeout. Zags will need to come up with an answer quickly, but that’s been hard to come by with leading scorer Ike on the bench and 0 of 7 from the field.
3:47 – UM 42, GU 28: Smith called for a foul at the U4 media timeout, but Zags showing a little life at the end of the half.
GU finds some offense getting the ball to Huff in the center of the key, as the forward hits a couple of floaters. He leads with 12 points.
On the other end Warley came up with a big block on Mara to deny a dunk.
Halftime
Michigan has completely dominated Gonzaga 53-29 in a stunning first half of the Players Era Festival championship game at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The Zags showed some life late in the first half, but the Wolverines closed on an 11-1 run to take their largest lead of the game.
Michigan’s size has created all sorts of issues for Gonzaga, who has been limited to 32% shooting from the field and 2 of 12 on 3-pointers. None more noticeable than leading scorer Graham Ike, who is 0 of 8 from the field in nine minutes.
UM has also been excellent on the offensive end, shooting 61% from the field and making 8 of 14 3-pointers. It has also cleaned up the glass, holding GU to two offensive rebounds – the Zags average 14 offensive boards a game.
Lendeborg leads with 15 points and five rebounds. Huff has 12 points and six rebounds for GU, the only Zag finding much success.
Second half
17:20 – UM 55, GU 31: Sloppy start to the second half and more bad news for the Zags as Huff picks up his fourth foul and heads to the bench.
15:20 – UM 59, GU 35: Michigan trucking right along at the U16 media timeout as Johnson gets a dunk for his second basket of the half. GU 3 of 9 from the field since halftime.
12:51 – UM 72, GU 37: Gonzaga can call this one now.
Michigan is on a 15-2 run and has humbled the Zags tonight. GU 4 of 15 from the field in the second half, while the Wolverines are 7 of 9, improving their shooting 65% in the game.
8:29 – UM 87, GU 43: Why not make it 40, 50 even.
Huff and Warley foul out and the highlight plays keep coming for Michigan, which is laughing its way to the $1 million prize.
3:03 – UM 98, GU 54: Wolverines called for a four at the U4 media timeout and this one will be mercifully over shortly. We’ll be back with a full recap at the horn.
Starting 5s
No changes to the Zags’ starting lineup.
Gonzaga: Tyon Grant-Foster (11.9 ppg), Mario Saint-Supery (9.1), Adam Miller (9.6), Graham Ike (17.0), Braden Huff (16.0).
Michigan: Elliot Cadeau (8.5 ppg), Nimari Burnett (9.2), Morez Johnson Jr. (13.5), Yaxel Lendeborg (15.3), Aday Mara (9.7).
Pregame
Gonzaga and Michigan will play for $1 million in Las Vegas tonight.
The No. 12 Bulldogs (7-0) and No. 7 Wolverines (6-0) face off for the top prize in the Players Era Festival at MGM Grand Garden Arena at 6:30 p.m. on TNT.
The Bulldogs knocked off No. 8 Alabama and rolled Maryland, securing enough point differential for a spot against the Wolverines, who routed San Diego State and No. 21 Auburn.
Gonzaga is looking for its third ranked win of the young season, while Michigan will easily face its greatest test, having survived close games against Wake Forest (OT) and Texas Christian in past weeks.
The matchup figures to pit two of the nation’s top frontcourts. Gonzaga’s Graham Ike and Braden Huff are averaging 17 and 16 points a game, respectively. Michigan will counter with more size in a three-man contingent of Yaxel Lengeborg (6-9, 15.3 ppg), Morez Johnson Jr. (6-9, 13.5 ppg) and Aday Mara (7-3, 9.7 ppg).
The losing team will collect an additional $500,000 on top of the guaranteed $1 million NIL boost for competing in the field.
Coverage from the Players Era Festival