ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead No. 2 Michigan to an 86-65 victory over UCLA on Saturday that puts the program in position to be ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2013.
No. 1 Arizona lost its first game Monday night on the road against No. 9 Kansas, giving the Wolverines (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) a path to the top spot in the poll with their 10th straight win.
The Bruins (17-8, 9-5) had won five of six games.
Michigan made nine straight shots — including Lendeborg’s two 3-pointers — early in the second half to turn what was a closely contested game into a rout.
Just two years after losing a school-record 24 games in Juwan Howard’s final season, coach Dusty May took advantage of the transfer portal to build a deep and talented roster that has won 24 of 25 games for the first time in school history.
The Wolverines are aiming to be No. 1 for the first time since Jan. 28, 2013, a season that ended with AP national player of the year Trey Burke and coach John Beilein losing to Rick Pitino-led Louisville in the national championship game.
In their latest lopsided win, Morez Johnson finished with 15 points, LJ Cason scored 13, Nimari Burnett added 12 and Aday Mara had nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks against his former team.
UCLA’s Trent Perry scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half and Tyler Bilodeau had 10 of his points in the opening 20 minutes, when the visitors trailed by just two points.
Up next
UCLA: At No. 10 Michigan State on Tuesday.
Michigan: At No. 13 Purdue on Tuesday.
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