With the National Championship game set for Monday night between Michigan and UConn, injury concerns for both teams are coming into focus.
A key question heading into Monday night’s championship game for the Wolverines is the status of their star Yaxel Lendeborg. He came up hobbling after a dunk attempt and landing on a teammate’s foot during the first half of their Final Four win against Arizona.
That led to Lendeborg leaving the game to get checked out and also receiving treatment in the locker room, including ice and tape on his ankle.
He eventually returned and actually opted to go back in the game during his team’s rout of Arizona. Lendeborg showed grit to play through injury, entering in the second half to contribute as he could in his team’s victory, but some wondered if it was worth further injury risk.
He clearly wasn’t 100 percent in that game, raising doubts before his team’s massive game against UConn, as he needed an MRI to determine the extent of his injury.
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Head coach Dusty May shared what he knew about the situation and what Lendeborg’s playing status looks like for the upcoming championship clash.
According to ESPN’s college sports writer Pete Thamel, May indicated that Lendeborg’s MRI came back clean after suffering his knee and ankle injuries against Arizona. However, he left some ambiguity regarding his status, indicating it was up to Lendeborg and the Michigan medical staff.
“I’m sure he’ll give it a go tomorrow. He played the second half like a 38-year-old at the YMCA. A really good 38-year-old at the YMCA,” Michigan’s coach said.
Yendelborg not participating in the game could be a significant blow to the Wolverines lineup, although they displayed the ability to handle Arizona dominantly, even with their star player out for a bit of time. Lendeborg was on the court for 14 minutes, scoring 11 points to go with three rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
According to the Michigan star and his head coach in postgame remarks, it was Lendeborg’s decision to return to the court for some time in the second half of the win.
Based on the early indications, Lendeborg will play, but the extent of his ability to contribute effectively remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, UConn, a No. 2 seed and the winner of the East Region, has several players dealing with injuries in their lineup, including starting point guard Silas DeMary Jr., who missed his team’s opening-round game but has since returned.
Another injury concern arrived after their win against the Illinois Fighting Illini, as Solo Ball suffered “some sort of ankle sprain” and was seen wearing a walking boot. Ball was expected to have an MRI on Easter Sunday, per UConn head coach Dan Hurley, who also indicated Ball would not practice on Sunday.
Michigan and UConn will battle it out for the championship in Indianapolis on Monday night, with whoever is available to play likely on the court trying to will their team to the big win.
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