Photo: @UmichBBall
It was the end of the road for Sister Jean an the Loyola Ramblers who ran into a defensive wall. A blue wall with a maize block M on the front.
Saturday night, Moe Wagner and the Michigan Wolverines punched their ticket to the National Championship game Monday putting an end to Loyola’s magical run through March with a 69-57 win in the Final Four.
Highs
Playing in front of his parents who flew in from Germany, Moe Wagner was a man on a mission tonight and at times completely took the game over finishing with 24 points and 15 rebounds. It was his most productive game of the Tournament and couldn’t have come at a better time against arguably the hottest team in March.
Wagner also became the third player in the last 40 years with a 20 and 15 game in the Final Four.
“It’s incredible. I’m really, really enjoying this ride… we have one more to go.” – Moritz Wagner (24 PTS, 14 REB) on @umichbball advancing to the #NationalChampionship#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/aSIpLGUemk
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) April 1, 2018
Charles Matthews also continued to light up the scoreboard finishing with 17 points and has thus far scored in double-digits in each game during the Tournament.
Then there was the Michigan defense who although were out rebounded 26-25 on the defensive side of the ball, caused Loyola to turn the ball over 17 times and held the Ramblers to just 16 points in the final 14 minutes.
Lows
Zavier Simpson was terrible tonight scoring zero points while turning the ball over three times. Michigan will need all of their weapons in order in the National Championship Game if they’re looking to prevail.
The Wolverines will also need to avoid any prolonged offensive droughts like they saw themselves in towards the end of the first half.
The Difference
Tonight’s game all came down a clear size and talent difference between the Wolverines and Ramblers. Loyola simply had no answer for Wagner down low and Matthews on the perimeter which was apparent by the Ramblers going 1-for-10 from beyond the arc and accumulating just five offensive boards on the night.
What’s next?
Michigan will meet No. 1 Villanova in the National Championship as the Wildcats are coming off a night where they set a Final Four record for three-pointers in the game (18). Villanova also saw all five of their starters score in double-digits with Donte DiVincenzo adding 15 off the bench.
The post Michigan takes down Loyola in the Final Four appeared first on The Majors Detroit.
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