No. 1 Michigan leads No. 2 Connecticut 33-29 at halftime of the men’s NCAA basketball national championship from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Morez Johnson Jr. had 10 points to lead the way for Michigan.
Alex Karaban and Solo Bal scored eight each for UConn.
Both teams struggled offensively through the opening 20 minutes.
Foul trouble was one of the major stories for Connecticut in the opening half as starters Tarris Reed Jr., Silas Demary Jr. and Ball are playing with multiple fouls.
The Huskies are chasing their third title in four years and seventh overall, while the Wolverines are after their first championship since 1989, the only triumph in school history.
Michigan advanced to the title game with a 91-73 victory over Arizona in their Final Four matchup and Connecticut booked their spot in the final with a 71-62 win over Illinois.
The defending champion Florida Gators were bounced by the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round of this year’s tournament in a 73-72 upset loss.
The title game is taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time since 2021, when Baylor ended Gonzaga’s undefeated season to claim their first men’s national championship.
