No. 4 UConn Beats No. 16 Michigan 85-77 in National Title Game Rematch

Seven months after Michigan beat UConn for the national championship, the Huskies got their answer. No. 4 UConn defeated No. 16 Michigan 85-77 on Friday night at TD Garden in Boston, CBS Sports reported, in a rematch of the 2026 title game.

UConn (2-0) led by 13 at halftime and by as many as 18 in the second half before Michigan (1-1) made a late push, according to Michigan Athletics.

Michigan vs. UConn: final score

How did UConn win?

The difference, CBS Sports wrote, was guard play. Braylon Mullins led all scorers with 23 points, and Silas Demary Jr. added 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Mullins and Demary had combined for 21 of UConn’s first 25 points and made all five of the team’s early 3-pointers, CBS Sports reported.

Demary had 17 points at halftime as UConn closed the first half on a 9-0 run over the final 2:12, capped by a last-possession 3-pointer, for a 43-30 lead, according to Michigan Athletics and CBS Sports. The Huskies then opened the second half with an 8-0 run to push the lead to 18 with 16:23 left.

UConn also won the bench battle 18-8, CBS Sports said, with five-star freshman forward Colben Landrew scoring 14 points off the bench.

How did Michigan fight back?

Sophomore guard Trey McKenney missed all seven of his first-half shots, then scored a career-high 22 points, all after halftime, CBS Sports and Michigan Athletics reported. He hit three 3-pointers during a stretch in which Michigan held UConn without a field goal for more than seven minutes, cutting the deficit to nine and forcing a UConn timeout with 8:09 left.

J.P. Estrella added 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting with nine rebounds, and Roddy Gayle Jr. scored 18, going 6 of 6 at the free-throw line, according to Michigan Athletics. The Wolverines scored six points in the final 35 seconds but got no closer than eight.

Why was Elliot Cadeau a storyline?

Elliot Cadeau was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player when Michigan won the title in April, but he struggled in the rematch. CBS Sports reported he shot 3 of 11 with five turnovers, finishing with eight points. Demary, who CBS Sports noted had just two points in the title game, flipped that script on Friday.

Other notable moments

• Dan Hurley drew a technical foul in the first half after a call went against UConn, CBS Sports reported.
• Michigan’s 3-point shooting remains a concern: CBS Sports said the Wolverines went 7 of 28 from deep after a 7-of-34 night against Oakland earlier in the week.
• It was only the 11th time since 1996 that the previous season’s national finalists met the following season, Michigan Athletics noted. The all-time series is now tied 3-3.
• The game was the first ranked matchup for new Michigan coach Mike Boynton Jr. since 2021 with Oklahoma State, according to Michigan Athletics.

What does it mean?

CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno wrote that UConn “didn’t play that great a game and still managed to beat a top-20 team by double digits on a neutral floor,” calling the Huskies’ backcourt the strength of a roster he had placed among the top tier of title contenders. Both teams replaced multiple frontcourt players who went to the NBA, which CBS Sports said put more weight on their guards.

What’s next?

• UConn: faces Ohio State next week, CBS Sports reported.
• Michigan: hosts Marquette on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

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