INDIANAPOLIS — Arizona dug itself into a hole it was never able to climb out of in a 91-73 loss to Michigan in the Final Four on Saturday.
The early deficit only grew larger as Michigan at one point led by as many as 30 in what was the Wildcats’ worst showing of the season.
The Arizona offense looked rushed and out of sorts from the opening tip, as the Wolverines wound up opening the game on a 10-1 run not even two and a half minutes in.
Arizona was never able to gain its composure, and the sloppy, rushed theme continued throughout nearly the first half’s entirety.
Instead of moving the basketball and playing to the second side, Arizona often took the first shot available, which proved to be its detriment.
The Wildcats had just two assists on 12 made field goals in the first half and turned the ball over nine times, which led to 12 Michigan points.
Arizona finished the game with a season-low five assists on 26 made field goals, while 14 Wildcat turnovers led to 26 Wolverine points.
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The Wildcats briefly seized momentum and went on a 13-2 run to pull within five with 6:43 remaining in the opening half, a span where Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg stepped on Motiejus Krivas’ foot, causing Michigan fans to hold their collective breath as Lendeborg went to the locker room to get his ankle iced and re-taped.
However a 7-0 Michigan run quickly followed to put the Wolverines back up by 12, as an onslaught of Arizona turnovers, missed layups and missed free throws came to haunt the Wildcats.
Arizona, which had only trailed at the half in five games this season and never by more than seven points, found itself down by 16 at the break. The Wildcats had never trailed by more than 12 in any game this season.
In the second half, Michigan shot the lights out and the Wildcats were never able to mount a real comeback as the Wolverines hit shot after shot.
The Wolverines started 9 of 13 (69.2%) from the field and 6 of 8 (75%) from 3 to begin the second half to take a 72-45 lead with 12:17 to play and put the game out of reach.
Jaden Bradley battled foul trouble and was limited to 25 minutes. He picked up his third foul with 5:09 to play in the first half and his fourth with 18:26 left in the game, forcing him to exit. In what will be his final game in a Wildcats’ uniform, Bradley recorded 13 points on 4 of 6 (66.7%) shooting.
Arizona freshmen severely struggle in big moment
Arizona’s freshmen trio of Koa Peat, Brayden Burries and Ivan Kharchenkov, who all tournament were not playing like freshmen, finally looked like freshmen.
Peat finished with 16 points but shot just 6 of 18 (33.3%) from the field, while Burries started 0 of 8 from the field and did not hit his first field goal until 15:40 remained in the game. He finished with 13 points on 4 of 16 (25%) shooting.
Kharchenkov had three first-half turnovers and did not look like the “glue guy” he has been all season. He tallied six points while going 2 of 8 (25%) from the field.
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