LAS VEGAS (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 20 points and 11 rebounds as No. 7 Michigan routed No. 12 Gonzaga 101-61 on Wednesday night to win the Players Era Championship.
Trey McKenney added 17 points for the impressive Wolverines (7-0), who dominated every one of their opponents in the event. They won their three games by a combined 110 points, beating San Diego State by 40 and No. 21 Auburn by 30 before handing Mark Few his most lopsided loss in 902 games as Gonzaga’s coach.
Lendeborg was selected MVP of the tournament. The 18-team field featured some of the top programs in the country, and Michigan served notice it’s a serious national title contender.
Nimari Burnett had 14 points, Aday Mara scored 13 and Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 11 for the Wolverines. The defense limited Gonzaga to 33.8% shooting from the floor, including 3 of 22 from 3-point range (13.6%).
Tyon Grant-Foster and Braden Huff led the Bulldogs (7-1) with 14 points each. Huff fouled out with 8:42 left.
Michigan scored the last nine points of the first half and led 53-29 at the break. Lendeborg scored four straight points and Burnett hit a 3 with 38 seconds remaining.
The Wolverines maintained their 24-point advantage until the 15:55 mark of the second half and then went on a 10-0 run to go up 69-35. Johnson had six points during that stretch and Mara scored three.
Gonzaga never got closer than 31 after that.
Up next
Michigan hosts Rutgers on Dec. 6.
Gonzaga plays at No. 19 Kentucky on Dec. 5.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
