Michigan muscles its way to 2nd national title, beating stubborn UConn 69-63

This title for Michigan's newest Fab Five will look better in the trophy case than a time capsule.

Hard to be too picky — this new-age group of ballers in maize and blue showed they can win any which way.

The five fabulous transfers who make up coach Dusty May's starting lineup got down and dirty with the rest of the Wolverines to dig out the national championship on Monday.

Michigan made only two 3-pointers all night but still muscled its way to a 69-63 victory over stingy, stubborn UConn.

Elliot Cadeau led the Wolverines with 19 points, including the team's first 3, which came 7:04 into the second half. The second, from freshman Trey McKenney, came with 1:50 left and felt like a dagger, giving May's team — which had scored 90 points in five straight March Madness games leading to the final — a nine-point lead.

Though the shooting wasn't great, this marked the fourth straight game in which Michigan has held its opponent to a season-low field goal percentage. UConn shot 30.9%.

"These guys have done it all year," May said. "When one side of the ball has let us down, the other side has picked it up. Our togetherness defensively ultimately got us over the hump."

To no one's surprise, UConn fought to the finish. Solo Ball banked in a 3 to cut it to four with 37 seconds left — and after two missed free throws, UConn's Alex Karaban (17 points) barely grazed the rim on a 3 that would've cut the deficit to one with 17 seconds left.

Michigan also got outrebounded 22-12 on the offensive glass by a UConn team that would not go away.

Not until McKenney sank two free throws to bring Michigan's shooting from the line to 25 for 28 for the night could the Wolverines (37-3) kick off the celebration for the program's second title — the