Former Tar Heel anchors Michigan run to National Championship game

With Michigan’s 91-73 domination of Illinois win in the Final Four late Saturday night, just one more game remains in the 2025-26 college basketball season.

Before the injury bug hit Chapel Hill, UNC looked like a National Championship contender. North Carolina sported the country’s best front court in Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, while a deep backcourt kept any opponent guessing.

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The Tar Heels won’t be playing for college basketball glory, but a former Tar Heel in Elliot Cadeau will. In the Wolverines’ Final Four victory, Cadeau played an instrumental role with his 13-point, 10-assist double-double.

This was Cadeau’s third double-double of his junior campaign – and second of the postseason. Cadeau recorded a 10-point, 10-assist double-double in the Big 10 Tournament Final against Purdue. In Michigan’s Big 10 opener against Maryland, Cadeau scored 12 points and dished out 12 assists.

Cadeau only notched two double-doubles last season at UNC: in a 16-point win over Campbell, followed by a 1-point loss to Wake Forest.

Cadeau’s big game poses the question: do players improve after they leave North Carolina? Just look at what Caleb Love did with Arizona, or Walker Kessler’s emergence with Auburn.

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The Tar Heels are also a springboard to talent development. Just look at Henri Veesaar’s breakout season after transferring from Arizona, Brady Manek or Cormac Ryan.

How would Cadeau play at UNC this year? His relationship with the program became fractured in the 2024-25 season, when fans consistently trashed him on social media. It’s one thing to voice your displeasure with a player, but to attack him on social media.

It’s tough knowing that guys are playing better at other schools, but for a guy like Cadeau who loves basketball, you have to feel a bit happy for him. Hopefully, North Carolina maximizes talent development this fall, making a 2027 National Championship run similar to Cadeau’s with Michigan this season.

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Publish date : 2026-04-06 01:00:00

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