– Michigan's most productive player, 6-9 forward Yaxel Lendeborg, played in Tucson twice against Pima Community College, in 2022 and 2023. Lendeborg, who became a two-time ACCAC Player of the Year for Arizona Western College, lost 96-90 to the Aztecs in 2023 despite his 21 points and nine rebounds. A year earlier, Lendeborg had a 16-16 double-double at the PCC gymnasium in a 79-78 victory. Originally from New Jersey, Lendeborg had academic difficulties and instead of signing with an NCAA team, joined the Yuma-based AWC club for three seasons. In his final year at Arizona Western, Lendeborg led AWC to an upset over Cochise College's historic 22-0 league champions in the region playoffs. He then signed with UAB before transferring to Michigan a year ago, where he has become a strong candidate for NCAA Player of the Year.
– Former Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne will attend the Final Four in Indianapolis in his role as a member of the NCAA Men's Basketball Selection Committee. This is Byrne's last year in a five-year term on the committee. Two of his predecessors as Arizona's athletic director also were part of the NCAA Selection Committee. Cedric Dempsey was on the panel from 1984-89 and was the chairman of the committee in 1989. Jim Livengood was on the NCAA selection panel from 2000-04 and was chairman of the selection committee in 2004. The Big 12's representative on the board this year is Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg.
– If you thumb through the 300-page Final Four record book, you will see several Arizona names. Gilbert Arenas remains third all-time in steals in a Final Four with six in 2001. A.J. Bramlett is fourth in blocked shots, with four in the 1997 Final Four. Miles Simon ranks fifth in free throws made in a game, 14, in the 1997 finals against Kentucky. The ’97 Wildcats showed the world how valuable free throws can be. They went 34 of 41 from the foul line against Kentucky while UK went just 9 for 17. That's also a formula UA coach Tommy Lloyd has valued and produced this season.
Michigan center Aday Mara, left, and forward Yaxel Lendeborg react as they walk on the court during the second half of a game against Purdue in the championship of the Big 10 Tournament, March 15, 2026, in Chicago.
– Michigan's 7-3 center Aday Mara was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, which is something UCLA coach Mick Cronin didn't see coming. Cronin kept Mara on the bench in 2024 and 2025. What did he not see? Against Arizona, Mara played just seven minutes and scored two points a year ago. In 2024, Mara didn't even get off the bench against Arizona in one game. In the other, he played two minutes. Cronin's Bruins have become something of an also-ran for such mis-evaluations. Once Mara got to Michigan this season, he was given freedom that Cronin didn't give him. Mara blocked 100 shots, third nationally, averaged 11.8 points and shot 68% from the field.
