3 KEY Observations From Arizona’s Final Four Loss To Michigan

The No. 1 (West Region) Arizona Wildcats’ epic run in the NCAA National Championship has come to an end, losing their Final Four matchup against the No. 1 (Midwest Region) Michigan Wolverines by a score of 91-73. Despite the loss, it was a season worth celebrating as the Wildcats made it to the Final Four for the first time in 25 years and had the best season in the program’s history.

The Arizona defense had trouble with the size and physicality that Michigan brings. With 14 minutes remaining in the first half, the Wolverines jumped out to a 16-5 lead, taking advantage of costly turnovers, missed shots and an unrelenting attack in the paint. The Wildcats were forced to take a timeout because of the onslaught.

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Trey McKenney (1) blocks the shot of Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Wildcats went on a 9-0 run to make it a 28-21 game, but that was followed by a 7-0 run by the Wolverines to go right back up to a double-digit lead. By the end of the first half, Arizona found itself down 48-32 and plenty of ground to make up.

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Things did not get any better for Arizona in the second half, as Michigan jumped right back to overwhelming the Wildcats, even taking a 30-point lead. By the end of the game, Arizona’s chances of making the championship were diminished. Let’s take a look at three observations of what went wrong for the Wildcats in the Final Four matchup.

Wildcats Overwhelmed By Perimeter Shooting

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots over Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

It was a tough…

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Publish date : 2026-04-05 04:25:00

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