Michigan
7-0,0-0Big Ten
Gonzaga
7-1,0-0WCC
Michigan Cruises Past No. 12 Gonzaga to Claim Players Era Title
11/27/2025 12:53:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Quinn Schmidt
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The seventh-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team used an overwhelming offensive output to coast in a 101-61 victory over No. 12 Gonzaga in the Players Era Festival title game. The triumph inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Wednesday night (Nov. 26) served as Michigan's fourth-straight 20-plus-point win — its second straight over a ranked opponent.
A total of 11 Wolverines made scoring contributions, tied for the most in a game this season, including five double-digit scorers. The loss was Gonzaga's first of the season and its first 40-point loss in 35 years.
Leaders and Best
Tournament MVP Yaxel Lendeborg's 20 points and 11 rebounds were game highs, while Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. rounded out the Wolverine frontcourt with 13 and 11 points, respectively. The trio also combined for seven blocks, tied for the most in a game this year.
Nimari Burnett was a perfect 4-for-4 from deep, finishing with 14 points to go along with six boards. Trey McKenney had the game's second-highest total with 15, shooting 5-for-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from long range to round out Michigan's double-figure scorers.
Elliot Cadeau posted 13 assists -- the second time this year he has had 13 helpers or more in a game -- tied for the seventh most in a single game in program history.
Second Half
Michigan (7-0) blocked three Gonzaga layups and forced a turnover to open the second half where it left off in the first. A 15-2 scoring run pushed the U-M lead to 35 points, 72-37, with 12:51 remaining as four Wolverines entered double-figures before the halfway point of the second stanza.
An emphatic Lendeborg slam and a McKenney three asserted a 40-point lead, 83-43, at the 9:20 mark, and after three dunks and a pair of triples, Michigan continued to string together highlight reel baskets en route to the Players Era Championship.
First Half
The Wolverines jumped on the Bulldogs (7-1) early, using six of Lendeborg's 15 first-half points in a 13-3 run to open the contest.
U-M only missed two of its first 12 field goals while opening a 28-8 advantage seven minutes in, and back-to-back treys from McKenney and Burnett pushed the lead to 19 at the 10-minute mark.
Michigan held Gonzaga scoreless for the final 3:31 of the half while pouring in nine consecutive points. The Wolverines headed to the break with a 53-29 edge, shooting 61 percent (19-for-31) from the field and 57 percent (8-for-14) from long range, while limiting the Tigers to their lowest-scoring half of the season.
What's Next
The Maize and Blue returns to the Crisler Center on Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. to host Rutgers. The first conference clash of the season will air live on Big Ten Network, and tickets can be purchased on the men's basketball tickets page.
Notes
• Michigan has downed two consecutive non-conference top-25 opponents in the regular season for the first time since December 2019.
• U-M has won its last four games by an average of 34 points, outscoring opponents 383-248 over that span (+135-point differential).
• The 2025 Players Era final is the worst loss for Gonzaga since Jan. 19, 1990, when the Bulldogs lost 144-100 to Loyola Marymount.
• The Wolverines have won three of their seven games this season by 40-plus points.
• L.J. Cason's six assists doubled the sophomore's previous career high of three.
