Michigan basketball score: The Wolverines dominated La Salle, 102-50, on Sunday, Dec. 21. at Crisler Center, its eighth win by at least 25 points.
Michigan basketball has been in the holiday spirit all year long.
Its latest gift to its fans? A 102-50victory over La Salle on Sunday, Dec. 21, at Crisler Center to improve to 11-0 on the season for the first time since 2020-21 – the last time the team won a Big Ten regular-season crown and made the Elite Eight.
The Wolverines' rout of the Explorers was their fifth time topping 100 points in their past six games and sixth this season. U-M broke the century mark on a Howard Eisley Jr. 3-pointer from the right wing in front of the Michigan bench, bringing the entire crowd to its feet.
Early on, Michigan looked like a team that hadn't played in a week, trailing by one just more than five minutes into the game. And then it ratcheted up the defense. The Wolverines employed a full-court press to force eight turnovers in 6:15 as part of a 22-2 burst.
La Salle used a 15-8 run to get back within 12 but that was as close as it would get. U-M used another 9-0 spurt in just 2:10 to go up 21, putting the game way. Michigan really made the game a rout in the second half with a 12-0 burst in 5:20, highlighted by an alley-oop from Yaxel Lendeborg to Aday Mara in transition, moments before Roddy Gayle found Lendeborg on the run who threw down a massive dunk to go up 67-37 with 15:45 to play.
Mara finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, his fourth double-double of the season.
Elliot Cadeau ,who also finished with 14 points, had a runout moments later and tried to slam it home, but lost control as he went up. He hit three 3-pointers, all in the first half, tying for his second-most on the season.
More than anything, this game was an example of U-M's depth and talent. This wasn't the Wolverines' best performance over the past month – it may have been one of the worst, actually – and still it was never close.
Coach Dusty May's Wolverines barely won the rebounding battle (40-35) but nearly doubled up the Explorers in points in the paint (38-20). U-M also struggled from the line, making just 66.7%, but that barely slowed it down as it picked up its eighth win of at least 25 points.
Michigan had six players scire in double figures, with and two reserves among the leaders: true freshman Trey McKenney led with 17 points on 5-for-8 shooting, and L.J. Cason added 13 points. Both served as spark plugs early, as McKenney canned three 3-pointers and Cason had a highlight-reel play on a spinning lefty layup. He also had three 3s on four attempts.
Michigan made 14 of 29 (48.3%) 3-pointers and stifled La Salle beyond the arc, as the Explorers hit just 2 of 21 (9.5%).
Michigan's defense dominated from start to finish, holding La Salle to just 17 points in the second half.
The Wolverines are next in action on Monday, Dec. 29 against McNeese State (7 p.m., BTN+, online only) before returning to Big Ten play with a visit from USC on Jan. 2.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball rolls La Salle, off to best start in five years
Category: General Sports
