It’s official. The Wolverines will play for the national title.
On Saturday night, No. 3 seed Michigan defeated No. 11 Loyola-Chicago, 69-57, effectively ending the Ramblers’ Cinderella run. But it was far from an easy victory.
The first 30 minutes were, well, frustrating for Michigan, as Loyola had secured a seven-point lead at halftime. The lead increased to 10 points early in the second half, marking Michigan’s biggest deficit within in the tournament since the opening moments of their first-round game against Montana.
Obviously, things weren’t looking too good for Michigan; that is, until they surprised Loyola with a 17-2 run to take a 54-47 lead with less than five minutes left. Unfortunately for the Ramblers, Michigan maintained that momentum for the rest of the game.
Michigan’s Moritz Wagner finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Charles Matthews added 17.
Michigan will play for a national championship Monday night, where they will take on the winner of Villanova and Kansas game. It'll mark the team's first national championship game appearance since 2013.
Related Stories
Charles Barkley and Loyola’s Sister Jean Spark an Unlikely Friendship
Loyola Chicago's Sister Jean accepts Barkley's invitation to hang out during the Final Four.
Hannibal Buress' Loyola-Chicago Set Was Cut Short After He Joked About Catholic Priests
The university just entered the Sweet 16 after beating University of Tennessee on Saturday.
