Michigan routed Tennessee to punch its ticket to the Final Four on Sunday in Chicago. Dylan and Eric discuss the win and why this is the story of a Final Four team, not a Final Four run. Then they dive into an early look at Arizona (49:00) ahead of the full preview podcast later this week.
The UM Hoops Podcast · Episode 247 · 1:02:11
Show notes
Michigan routed Tennessee 95-62 in the Elite 8 to reach the Final Four. Dylan Burkhardt and Eric Shapiro frame it as a Final Four team rather than a Final Four run, and debate whether making the Final Four is still an accomplishment for a team with title expectations.
They go through the Tennessee game, with transition offense and foul management in focus. They spend time on Yaxel Lendeborg's dominance, Elliot Cadeau's underrated impact and Roddy Gayle Jr.'s shooting. They close with an early look at Arizona, a strength-on-strength matchup in the paint, with a full preview due later in the week.
- final four
- tennessee
- arizona
- transition offense
- foul trouble
- yaxel lendeborg
- elliot cadeau
- dusty may
Worth hearing
35:38 · Elliot Cadeau, the underrated engine
“I think that’s b—. I think he’s the most important player on the team many times.”
Dylan Burkhardt
25:21 · Yaxel Lendeborg takes over
“I don’t think it was best player on the court. I think it was best player in the sport at that point.”
Dylan Burkhardt
50:27 · First look at Arizona
“So I wrote in my first look today, like, this is a money game. Whoever dominates that matchup is going to leapfrog the other one in draft status.”
Dylan Burkhardt
49:44 · First look at Arizona
“I think you just immediately look at the frontcourt and the elements of the frontcourt part of the game. Post-ups, offensive rebounding, second chance points, who gets to the foul line.”
Eric Shapiro
Prediction54:14 · First look at Arizona
“There’s going to be a lot of mistakes made on overpaying big guys to try to model after the teams at the top of the sport.”
Eric Shapiro
Prediction58:53 · Can Arizona win without threes?
“My main takeaway from looking at it early is it’s going to be up-tempo. And I think that’s a good thing for Michigan.”
Dylan Burkhardt
Chapters
- Michigan is headed to the Final Four
- A Final Four team, not a Final Four run
- Is the Final Four still gravy?
- How Michigan beat Tennessee
- Yaxel Lendeborg takes over
- Elliot Cadeau, the underrated engine
- Roddy Gayle's postseason shooting
- Is Michigan's defense back?
- First look at Arizona
- Can Arizona win without threes?
Games discussed
- Michigan vs. Arizona W 91-73
- Michigan vs. Tennessee W 95-62
- Michigan vs. Alabama W 90-77
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Join the conversation · 30 replies on the forum
The conversation
30 repliesJoin the discussionDavis104
Yes! It’s here. The hustle never stops. I am hoping that this podcast is about 90% celebratory for the amazing achievement of this team and only about 10% “I need to change my pants I’m so scared” as Dylan and Eric break down Arizona. Their preview of Tennessee was 100 percent spot on. Because this podcast came out so early, I will listen to this podcast as many times as the size of Michigan’s lead against Tennessee when Jaylen Carey decided it was time to start a fight. I wonder if there is anyone who can remind me where that scoreboard is so I can check that number…
There it is! Thanks Yax!
eric_shap
relevant to comments I made on this pod
https://x.com/trillydonovan/status/2038734762731319694
forrestal1981
The more I’ve embraced modern analytics the more I get out of the pods. I’ve been slow to embrace the numbers game. Now that I realize it favors Michigan I’m a more receptive audience.
Unrelated - does Brendan Quinn still write about basketball? Or sports? I know he was covering golf for a while at The Athletic but I feel like I haven’t seen his name in a long time.
DMB43
Haven’t listened to pod yet, but I think it is interesting talked recently about potentially zigging while everyone else tried to zag
ReegsShannon
As a NYT subscriber, looks like he has done nearly 100% golf and Olympics since last year’s Final Four.