Michigan
9-0,1-0Big Ten
Villanova
7-2,0-0Big East
Cadeau Ignites Michigan in Triumph Over Villanova
12/9/2025 9:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior Elliot Cadeau and the second-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team used a strong start to overwhelm Villanova, 89-61, inside a sold-out Crisler Center on Tuesday evening (Dec. 9). Cadeau's 15 points and four assists in the first half broke open a 30-point lead at the break, allowing the Wolverines to snap Villanova's seven-game win streak and coast to their sixth straight blowout victory.
Leaders and Best
Cadeau finished one shy of his career high with 18 total points, adding a personal-best four three-pointers to go along with four assists and three rebounds. Aday Mara contributed seven of his 11 points in the second half, also grabbing eight rebounds and blocking two shots.
Six additional Wolverines finished one basket shy of the double-digit mark as part of 11 players on the scoresheet. Morez Johnson Jr. (seven points, 10 rebounds) and Roddy Gayle Jr. (nine points, seven rebounds) nearly logged double-doubles for U-M.
Second Half
The Wolverines (9-0) continued to get to the rim at will in the second half, adding to their 30 first-half paint points with an alley-oop from Mara to Johnson followed by a Mara dunk.
Villanova (7-2) had no answers for Mara's size, as he drew three consecutive fouls during a 5-0 solo run, bookended by a precise post-entry pass from L.J. Cason following a between-the-legs, behind-the-back move.
Michigan cooled off down the stretch, missing 12 of its final 15 threes and shooting 11-for-30 from the field, but the 30-point lead remained intact for the majority of the contest thanks to 11 points at the charity stripe, a 28-19 rebounding advantage, and 16 points in the paint.
Trey McKenney proved it was that kind of night for the Maize and Blue when his one-legged, step-through three found the back of the net as the shot clock expired, pushing the lead to 81-47. The bench was emptied with five minutes to play, and the final stretch was highlighted by Malick Kordel's slam and a corner three from Winters Grady.
First Half
Cadeau controlled the tempo early, accounting for 17 of Michigan's first 24 points. After starting 2-for-4 from deep, Cadeau carved up the Wildcat defense from the inside out, dropping a pocket pass to a streaking Mara for one of his four first-half assists.
Yaxel Lendeborg added two of Michigan's 17 points off turnovers when he stepped in front of a pass and broke out for a windmill slam to extend a 19-7 U-M advantage at 14:10.
Will Tschetter electrified the Crisler crowd with an and-one three-pointer at the eight-minute mark, and the Wolverines never let the lead slip below 20 from there. U-M closed the half by holding Villanova scoreless for the final 6:32, seizing control with overwhelming depth as nine players ended the 53-point half with four or more points.
What's Next
Michigan heads east for a Big Ten matchup with Maryland on Saturday (Dec. 13) at 8 p.m. inside the XFINITY Center.
Game Notes
• Michigan is the first undefeated team in NCAA Division I to record a win against a member of each Power Five conference this season.
• Despite entering play ranked third nationally in offensive rebounding, Villanova was held to a season-low five.
• Michigan limited the Wildcats to season lows in points (61), field-goal percentage (34 percent), and assists (six), while forcing a season-high 15 turnovers.
• With two blocks, Mara has recorded at least one block in every game this season and multiple blocks in seven contests.
