The 2025-2026 Michigan Wolverines were one of the best college basketball teams of all time. For the Michigan fanbase, it was arguably the most fun season ever to watch your team. Countless plays and games are etched into my brain forever. If you had to pick just one moment from the season to be your favorite, which would you choose?
The options here are endless. Early on in the season, the Wolverines made their presence felt on a national level. Michigan won its three Players Era Tournament games by a total of 110 points. Yaxel Lendeborg put the cherry on top of the tournament with his breakaway dunk.
The Wolverines then trounced through much of the Big Ten schedule, suffering just one conference loss in the regular season. In their first (of many) top-10 matchups of the season, Trey McKenney played the hero as Michigan escaped with a win over Nebraska.
The next major moments came by way of road trips. The Wolverines knocked off Michigan State in East Lansing, Ohio State in Columbus, Purdue in West Lafayette, and Illinois in Champaign. Notable moments from these games include Dusty May’s calm in the face of the storm, sitting in front of the Izzone during warmups and Morez Johnson Jr. quietly dismantling a hostile Illinois crowd.
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On senior night at the Crisler Center, Michigan took care of business and handled rival Michigan State. My lasting memory from this game will be Yaxel Lendeborg metaphorically breaking Coen Carr’s ankles just as Moe Wagner had done to Nick Ward eight years prior.
Moving on to the Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines sadly weren’t able to capture the crown thanks to a Purdue upset. However, they did get their revenge on the sole Big Ten team to beat them during the regular season: the Wisconsin Badgers. With time winding down, Elliot Cadeau found an open Yaxel Lendeborg, who cashed the game-winning shot.
As you can see, this was a pretty fun season for Michigan. We haven’t even gotten to the NCAA Tournament run yet, and we have more than a few great options.
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After a ho-hum, 21-point victory over 16-seed Howard, Michigan faced what was supposed to be its first real test of the postseason in 9-seed St. Louis. The Wolverines had other ideas as they thrashed the Billikens, 95-72. My favorite moment from this Round of 32 matchup was Aday Mara’s pump fake, which spun St. Louis star Robbie Avila around.
After an easy victory over 4-seed Alabama, Michigan moved on to face 6-seed Tennessee in Chicago for the right to go to the Final Four. Despite being a route, the highlight moment from this game featured Lendeborg yet again.
Should that have been called basket interference? Probably. Do I care one bit? Absolutely not. The Wolverines punched their ticket to Indianapolis in emphatic fashion.
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The Final Four matchup with 1-seed Arizona was by far my favorite game of the 2025-2026 Michigan basketball season. In what was supposed to be the game of the century, the Wolverines blew the doors off the Wildcats, winning 91-73. While the game wasn’t in doubt for the final 30 minutes of play, the biggest moment had to be a hurt Yaxel Lendeborg toughing it out and returning to the floor only to hit two deep threes while clearly hobbled.
As we all remember, the National Championship was a bit of a slog. UConn executed its game plan to perfection, but it still didn’t matter. One moment clearly stands out among all the rest in this matchup: Trey McKenney’s dagger three late in the game:
In a game in which Michigan couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn from anywhere outside of the paint, McKenney put an abrupt halt to UConn’s comeback attempt and essentially sealed the National Championship.
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Going down memory lane is fun when your team is the reigning National Champions. The 2025-2026 Michigan basketball season had some of the highest of highs. What moment stands out to you? 25 years from now, which moments will you think about when remembering this title team? Will it be as simple as the celebrations in the aftermath, or will you think about any of the various dunks from Lendeborg, Mara, Johnson, or Gayle?
Outside of just the fact that this team brought home a National Championship, what individual moment is the most memorable for you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
