Takeaways from Michigan Basketball’s win vs Saint Louis in NCAA Tournament

The No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines took down the No. 9 seed Saint Louis Billikens, 95-72, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at KeyBank Center on Saturday in Buffalo, New York.

Here are some takeaways from the NCAA Tournament win.

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Michigan reaches Sweet Sixteen in consecutive years

After missing the NCAA Tournament in the final two years of Juwan Howard’s tenure, the Wolverines have returned to national prominence under head coach Dusty May — reaching the Sweet Sixteen in two straight years for the first time since 2021-22. Michigan has now advanced to the Sweet Sixteen seven times in the past 10 seasons, which is a very impressive feat.

Yaxel Lendeborg bounces back in a big way

After suffering an ankle injury in the Big Ten Tournament, Yaxel Lendeborg didn’t really look like himself in the first-round win vs Howard. However, he bounced back in a big way against Saint Louis with a game-high 25 points, highlighted by a trio of thunderous dunks — including a fast-break poster slam that fueled a 17-6 run and essentially put the game out of reach.

Aday Mara is in the midst of a memorable March run

Aday Mara was great in his first NCAA Tournament game at Michigan, totaling 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three blocks against Howard. He was nearly as dynamic against Saint Louis, racking up 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and four blocks. He is playing at an elite level right now and is in the midst of a memorable March run.

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Elliot Cadeau’s excellent performance was much-needed

Elliot Cadeau’s impact varies on a game by game basis, but he was excellent in the win over Saint Louis — going for 12 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Just moments after Saint Louis took a lead in the first half, Cadeau took over in the ensuing minutes by recording eight points, two assists and one block in less than four minutes to help the Wolverines regain momentum.

Nimari Burnett keeps up pace from beyond the arc

Despite coming up short…

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Publish date : 2026-03-21 18:23:00

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