Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg celebrates by cutting down the net after defeating Tennessee in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament on Sunday in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

CHICAGO (AP) — It was Yaxel Lendeborg, Elliot Cadeau and Aday Mara. Morez Johnson Jr., Trey McKenney and Nimari Burnett, too. The list goes on and on.

Michigan got it done together, just like it has all season long.

“The biggest focus is playing team basketball,” Lendeborg said. “We thrive off of that.”

Lendeborg scored 27 points, Cadeau had 10 assists and the deep, unselfish Wolverines rolled into the Final Four, overwhelming Tennessee for a 95-62 victory in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

Johnson added 12 points for Michigan, which has 11 victories this season by at least 30 points. Mara had 11 points and blocked two shots in the Midwest Region final.

Making the most of its size and athleticism on both sides of the court, Michigan (35-3) advanced to its first Final Four since 2018 and ninth overall. Next up is a showdown with fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in Saturday’s national semifinals.

“We always wanted to play against them, that team,” Lendeborg said. “They’re a really, really good team, so it’s going to be a super fun matchup.”

Under second-year coach Dusty May — who took Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023 — the Wolverines became the first school to win at least four games in an NCAA tourney by double digits while scoring at least 90 points in each.

“Our guys have been up to the challenge, to deliver in the biggest moments all year, and nothing changed tonight,” May said.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 21 points on 8-of-22 shooting for Tennessee (25-12), which lost in the Elite Eight for the third straight year under Rick Barnes. The 71-year-old coach reached his only Final Four in 2003 with Texas.

Felix Okpara finished with 10 points and seven rebounds for the Volunteers, who shot just 32% (24 of 76) from the field. Each team had 42 rebounds — a major problem for a Tennessee team that usually enjoys an advantage on the glass.

Michigan grabbed control with a 21-0 run in the first half, going from a 16-14 deficit with 11:22 left to a 35-16 lead with 6:10 remaining.

“That’s when our defense started clicking,” Lendeborg said. “We started running out on the break and started doing what we do best, and once that happened, man, I think the game was pretty much called right there.”

Once again, Lendeborg was the conductor of an offensive show for the Wolverines. The 6-foot-9 forward switched hands on a slick reverse layup, then made a no-look pass to Roddy Gayle Jr. for a 3-pointer on a fast break. Then he set up a 3 by Cadeau with 7:52 to go.

After Tennessee made a push to get back in the game, Lendeborg scored on a fast break and found McKenney for a 3 at the end of a 7-0 run that made it 48-26 at halftime.

It was more of the same in the second half. Mara, a 7-foot-3 center, stepped outside for one of the Wolverines’ 10 3-pointers. The Michigan portion of the United Center crowd cheered wildly when seldom-used reserves Charlie May — the coach’s son — and Oscar Goodman entered for the final few minutes.

IZZO OPTIMISTIC

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo immediately called the Spartans’ future bright after a 67-63 loss Friday night to UConn in the West Region semifinal.

“Tomorrow I’m going to the portal,” Izzo said.

“The only difference is the portal at Michigan State is different than the portal at most places. I’m going right to my frickin’ locker room, and I’m going to talk to each and every player right there. I’m going to make some decisions about what we’re going to do that I feel very comfortable with.”

Izzo expects to return seven to eight players to go along with what he described as a strong freshman class.

“We all talk about retirement,” Izzo said. “Why? What the hell am I going to do? The minute I don’t feel good, the minute I don’t feel like I’m giving my AD or president or school every ounce of energy I have every day or that energy drops, you don’t have to worry about it. I don’t steal money. I won’t steal anybody’s time.”

Izzo has guided Michigan State to eight Final Fours and captured the Big Ten’s most recent national title in men’s basketball in 2000. He last led the Spartans to the Final Four in 2019.

UCONN NIPS DUKE

WASHINGTON (AP) — Braylon Mullins sank a desperation 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to give UConn an astonishing 73-72 victory over top-seeded Duke, earning the Huskies a spot in the Final Four after they rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit.

The Blue Devils led by three before UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. made one of two free throws with 10 seconds left. With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected, and after UConn came up with the ball, Demary made a shot from well behind the 3-point line.

It’s the second straight season to end in a huge collapse for Duke, which was the top overall seed in this year’s tournament.

UConn is seeded second and will play No. 3 seed Illinois.

Arizona is the early favorite to take the title next Monday night in Indianapolis, listed at 19-10 odds by BetMGM Sportsbook, followed closely by the Wolverines.