CHICAGO – The No. 1-seeded Michigan Wolverines have returned to Chicago, where they will take on the No. 4-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sweet 16.
The game will take place at the United Center, where the Wolverines lost the Big Ten Tournament championship game to No. 7-seeded Purdue.
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Tip-off is slated for 7:35 p.m. EST, 6:35 p.m. CT on Friday, March 27.
Returning to Chicago
Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg said the team remains motivated after returning to the United Center.
He said the memory of that loss remains fresh, describing it as something the team has carried with them.
“It definitely left a bad taste in our mouth,” said Lendeborg.
Lendeborg noted that even small details, like returning to a familiar locker room setup, served as a reminder of that previous outcome against Purdue, prompting the team to make changes to its routine.
“We had to switch something up, see if it gives us a little more luck,” Lendeborg said.
Lendeborg emphasized that the focus now is on ensuring a different result this time around, with a renewed mindset and approach.
“We want to get out there and make sure we don’t leave with any losses or feel like we didn’t handle business,” Lendeborg said.
Michigan players say that a mentality shift is central to their preparation, as they look to capitalize on another opportunity on the national stage.
“We’re going to come in with a better mindset and do the best we can to dominate,” Lendeborg said.
“I think I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable playing point guard,” McKenney said. “Coach Dusty has done a really good job making sure I’m comfortable with the plays and concepts.”
Lendeborg said the team has taken a different approach to its pregame routine, starting in the locker room.
“We switched it up,” Lendeborg said. “We tried to change the whole vibe in the locker room.”
That included players sitting in different spots, adjusting their routines, and approaching the moment with a new mindset.
“Everybody’s sitting in different places, acting differently,” Lendeborg said. “We’re just trying to change everything completely.”
The adjustments reflect a broader effort by Michigan to move past the disappointing outcome and bring a fresh perspective to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
Growth and team chemistry
Roddy Gayle Jr., Lendebog, and Trey McKenney said growth, chemistry, and motivation are fueling their run as they prepare for a Sweet 16 matchup against Alabama.
Gayle Jr. highlighted the development of McKenney, whom he wasn’t sure if he liked when they first met, noting both his on-court production and maturity as a freshman.
“I think he likes me,” Gayle Jr. said with a smile. “Our relationship has definitely progressed over the year. He’s become one heck of a player, especially his maturity level and his ability to adapt in any situation.”
McKenney said he has grown more comfortable handling point guard responsibilities following the season-ending injury to L.J. Cason, crediting head coach Dusty May and his staff.
New level of intensity
The former Mr. Basketball from Flint said the NCAA Tournament has brought a new level of intensity, but not a sense of overwhelm, as the Wolverines continue their postseason run.
McKenney said the biggest difference on college basketball’s biggest stage is the heightened stakes, with every possession carrying added importance.
“Obviously, the stakes are way higher at this level,” McKenney said.
Despite the pressure, McKenney credited Michigan’s roster depth and talent for allowing players to stay within their roles rather than trying to do too much.
“We’re playing with a really talented team, so it’s not like anyone has to do too much out of their role,” McKenney said.
McKenney also pointed to the strong relationships built within the team as a key factor in his adjustment to the tournament environment alongside Gayle Jr. and Lendeborg.
“I’ve built a really good relationship with these guys throughout the season,” McKenney said. “It’s much more than basketball when you’re playing with them.”
As Michigan prepares for its next game, McKenney said that chemistry and trust continue to help the team navigate the pressure of March.
Tough Big Ten Conference
Gayle Jr. believes their path through the Big Ten Conference has prepared them well for the challenges of the NCAA Tournament.
He said the physical and competitive nature of conference play has helped position Michigan for success in the Sweet 16.
“We went through a gauntlet of a schedule this year,” Gayle Jr. said. “Playing against those teams and beating up on each other makes us better.”
The Big Ten has multiple teams still alive in the tournament, something Gayle said reflects the conference’s strength.
“I think the Big Ten is the best conference in the world,” Gayle Jr. said. “Seeing the success the conference has had in the tournament is really good.”
Gayle Jr. added that Michigan’s performance during the regular season, including finishing atop the conference standings, reinforces the team’s confidence heading into the Sweet 16.
“I think it speaks to how good we were during the season,” Gayle Jr. said.
As the Wolverines continue their tournament run, players say the battles they endured in conference play have helped sharpen their readiness for high-pressure moments in March.
Lendeborg said his development with Michigan has been shaped by a more refined approach to the game and guidance from May.
Dusty May
He, who took an unconventional path to college basketball with limited organized experience growing up, said one of the biggest areas of growth has been his understanding of the game’s pace and decision-making.
“My approach towards the game has gotten a lot better,” Lendeborg said. “Just being able to slow the game down.”
He credited May’s emphasis on film study for helping him recognize opportunities he previously overlooked.
“He’s taught me a lot of reads that I didn’t think were there,” Lendeborg said. “Watching film helped me fix my reads and find ways to be more impactful.”
Lendeborg said that growth has allowed him to contribute in different ways, even when he is not focused on scoring.
“It helped me be more impactful in a role where I’m not being as aggressive as a scorer,” Lendeborg said.
Beyond on-court improvements, Lendeborg pointed to mental growth as another key development, particularly in how he handles adversity.
“He’s helped me with my mental,” Lendeborg said. “When things are going bad, I lean more on my teammates instead of beating myself up.”
Lendeborg said the combination of film work, trust in teammates, and coaching support has helped him mature throughout the season.
“I’m really grateful I was coached by him,” Lendeborg said.
Lendeborg and Gayle Jr. describe May’s system as free-flowing, unselfish, and built on versatility.
Gayle Jr. said the offense emphasizes a positionless style that allows players to create and adapt in real time.
“It’s pretty simple, it’s very positionless,” Gayle Jr. said. “The way we play is super free.”
Gayle Jr. added that May encourages creativity, even when plays break down.
“Sometimes when we mess up plays, he likes it,” Gayle Jr. said. “He’d rather our offense be a little chaotic, but we’re playing for each other and not being selfish.”
Lendeborg said the system mirrors a professional style, emphasizing movement and reading the defense rather than rigid play calls.
“It’s a pro-type style,” Lendeborg said. “We have sets, but they’re not necessarily for shots; they’re for movement.”
That movement, Lendeborg said, is designed to create openings by forcing defenses out of position.
“Once the defense gets out of its shell, we attack off those mistakes,” Lendeborg said.
Both players said the system relies on trust and teamwork, with a focus on creating opportunities for one another rather than individual scoring.
As Michigan prepares for its next NCAA tournament game, players say that the balance of structure and freedom has been key to the team’s success.
While Michigan prepares for its Sweet 16 matchup, Lendeborg said the team’s film preparation has remained consistent, regardless of familiarity between the coaching staffs.
With May having connections across college basketball, including opposing staff such as Alabama head coach Nate Oates, Lendeborg said Michigan’s approach has not changed significantly.
“Honestly, it was pretty much the same way we attacked film as we did with St. Louis,” Lendeborg said.
He noted that similarities in playing styles made preparation more straightforward, allowing the Wolverines to focus on execution rather than overcomplicating the scouting report.
“It’s pretty much an easy cover,” Lendeborg said. “We’ve just got to be physical and play our game.”
Lendeborg added that the emphasis has been on applying the same intensity Michigan expects from opponents.
“We’ve got to do things that teams do to us that we don’t like,” Lendeborg said.
As the Wolverines continue their tournament run, players say their preparation remains rooted in physicality, discipline, and sticking to their identity on the court.
UAB Blazer
Lendeborg, a former UAB Blazers star, says his time at the University of Alabama at Birmingham helped prepare him for high-pressure moments at Michigan.
“Once I entered the transfer portal out of UAB, I was hoping to get recruited by Alabama,” Lendeborg said. “When I didn’t, it kind of hurt me a little bit. Not in a way where I can say I hate them, but it bothered me a little.”
Despite that, he remains proud of his experiences at UAB, where he learned to be more aggressive and confident on the field.
“I definitely learned to be more aggressive, get out of my shell a lot more.
In situations where I feel like I need to step up, I’m not afraid of those moments anymore,” Lendeborg said. “That happened because of how much pressure Coach Andy Kennedy put on me and how much he wanted me to be an aggressive scorer.”
Lendeborg credited those lessons for helping him succeed at Michigan and said he is looking forward to playing against Alabama, calling Birmingham “pretty much like a second home.”
said there will be “extra juice” for him facing Alabama, reflecting on the recruiting process that initially passed him over.
“There’s going to be a lot of extra motivation,” Lendeborg said. “I know I’m going to try my best to be the best player on the floor tomorrow. It’s not in a sense of, ‘This is what you guys missed out on,’ but, you know, you could have at least called or something like that.”
Despite that, he stressed there’s no bad blood.
“Maybe I didn’t fit the system or anything like that, but I’m excited to see what happens,” Lendeborg said.
Lendeborg’s comments highlight the personal stakes in facing a team that once overlooked him, adding an extra layer of narrative to the matchup.