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Saturday featured one tightly contested Final Four matchup and one blowout, setting the stage for the UConn Huskies and Michigan Wolverines to square off in the NCAA Tournament National Championship.
The initial spreads for the game have Michigan as the clear favorite. No one can ever doubt Dan Hurley and his talented Huskies team that has grinded their way through this tournament with heart and hard-fought defense and offense. Yet the Wolverines have built the profile of a complete champion.
2026 Michigan Wolverines have already made NCAA Tournament history
The numbers all favor Michigan in a big way. They have dominated their opponents on the way to the title game in a way that only a few others have. Their margin of victory entering the championship is +108, which has only been bested by five other teams in tournament history.
- 1999 Duke: +126
- 2024 UConn: +125
- 2016 Villanova: +121
- 1996 Kentucky: +120
- 1963 Loyola Chicago: +113
That Duke team actually lost in the title game to UConn, which marked the Huskies' first-ever title. Perhaps this UConn team can recapture some of that magic.
The one thing that's separating the Wolverines from all of those teams is their insane scoring performances in this tournament. By putting up 91 points on Arizona, they became the first team in tournament history to eclipse 90 points in five games. And there's still one more to go.
This UConn team hasn't been phased by anything, though. It should make for a thrilling championship game on Monday night.