Michigan vs Illinois Postgame Recap: UM earns outright Big Ten Championship in 84-70 win over Illini

The Michigan Insider

247Sports, Michigan Football, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan, Michigan athletics, College Football

Football, Sports

4.6 • 855 Ratings

🗓️ 28 February 2026

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sam Webb, Josh Newkirk, and Alejandro Zuniga live from Champaign-Urbana, provided analysis of Michigan's 84-70 win over No. 10 Illinois at State Farm Arena, securing the Wolverines' first outright Big Ten title since 2014. The TMI crew highlighted key performances, including Morez Johnson’s double-double in his return to Illinois. They also praised Yaxel Lendeborg for his strong two-way play and defensive impact. The discussion covered Aday Mara’s dominant second half, Trey McKenney’s timely three-pointers, and Elliot Cadeu’s floor-generalship. Michigan’s defensive efforts limited Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic, while the team controlled the boards. Michigan, the top seed for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, likely locked up its No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with the win over the Illini. The episode concluded with a discussion on the importance of extending Dusty May’s contract to deter NBA interest.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Michigan Insider Postgame Recap with Sam Webb and Josh Newkirk.
0:08.0	And of course, also, Alejandro to Zaniga, he made the trip down to Champagne.
0:13.8	Well worked the trip.
0:15.5	Michigan captures regular season championship outright with three games to go 84 to 70 another ranked win another road win
0:27.3	undefeated this season 10 and all on the road oh obviously this is a great experience just to go down
0:33.7	there i was down there sam sent me down there in what 2014 when michigan clinch the big 10 title down there. I was down there. Sam sent me down there in what, 2014, when Michigan
0:38.3	clinched the Big Ten title down there 12 years ago, time flies. Now you're there. You got to see it
0:44.8	in person. Give us your instant reaction. Man, well, what a special team. I know we've been talking
0:50.3	about that throughout this entire, this entire season season but a Michigan basketball team that's
0:55.7	27 and 2 17 and 1 in big 10 play undefeated on the road in road venues and that's going on the road
1:05.4	at Purdue on the road at the brezlin center and now now on the road at here at state farm center in
1:12.0	Champaign, Illinois, a top 10 matchup here for the first time in years.
1:16.2	And a really charged atmosphere, of course, from Perez Johnson Jr.
1:20.1	Coming back to play in front of his former fans, his former team, his former coach, and set to
1:27.2	prove, right, who's got the best front
1:29.2	court in the Big Ten?
1:31.0	Who's got maybe the best front court in the country?
1:33.1	Michigan left absolutely no doubt here tonight.
1:36.5	Marez Johnson from the very first possession, Josh, just an absolute beast on the defensive
1:41.2	side of the ball.
1:42.5	He was a beast on the glass for for Michigan to go
1:45.6	toe to toe with one of the best rebounding teams in the country, an aggressive rebounding team.
	...

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