Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg looked little like his All-America self in the first half of Monday’s NCAA championship game vs. UConn.
At halftime, he confirmed that he’s not feeling like himself in an unusually candid halftime interview. TNT’s Tracy Wolfson asked Lendeborg how he was feeling after playing all 20 minutes of the first half in which Michigan took a 33-29 lead.
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Here’s his answer:
‘I feel awful’
“I feel awful,” he said. “I feel super weak right now. I can’t make anything. I’m trying to push through obviously because it’s the championship game and all that, but man.
“I’m missing plays that I don’t usually miss. I’ve had many opportunities to take advantage of a smaller defender.
“I haven’t been able to do it. I’m gonna go in there at half and do as much as I can to try to feel a lot feel better and come back out and be more aggressive.”
Lendeborg sprained his left MCL and rolled his left ankle in Saturday’s national semifinal win over Arizona. He vowed to play Monday night after the injury, but is clearly a shell of his normal self.
The Big Ten Player of the Year, he averaged 15.1 points and 6.9 rebounds prior to Monday night. In the first half, he was barely a part of Michigan’s offense despite playing the entire first half.
He shot 1 of 5 from the field for 4 points with zero assists, rebounds, blocks or steals.
Lendeborg declined to back down smaller Mullins
In one moment late in the first half, Lendeborg had a one-on-one post-up opportunity against UConn’s Braylon Mullins on the elbow. Lendeborg is 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds. Mullins is 6-6 and 196 pounds.
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Instead of backing Mullins down, Lendeborg passed out to the perimeter.
Given his injury, it’s tough to imagine Lendeborg feeling or looking much better in the second half. But despite UConn slowing Michigan’s offense down the Wolverines overcame Lendeborg’s limitations to take a four-point lead into halftime.
