Yaxel Lendeborg stars as top-seeded Michigan beats Alabama 90-77 in Sweet 16

CHICAGO (AP) - Yaxel Lendeborg had 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in a dazzling all-around performance, and Michigan beat Alabama 90-77 on Friday night to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years.

Trey McKenney and Elliot Cadeau each scored 17 points as top-seeded Michigan set a school record with its 34th win of the season. Roddy Gayle Jr. finished with 16 points.

Led by McKenney and Gayle, the Wolverines (34-3) enjoyed a 33-6 advantage in bench points. But the versatile Lendeborg was the star of the show as his team grabbed control in the second half.

Next up for the Wolverines is Sunday's Midwest Region final against the winner of Tennessee-Iowa State.

Labaron Philon Jr. scored 35 points for fourth-seeded Alabama, which reached the Elite Eight each of the previous two years. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. had 15 points.

Alabama (25-10) was once again without star guard Aden Holloway, who missed the school's tournament run after he was suspended indefinitely following a March 16 arrest on felony drug charges.

Even without Holloway, the Crimson Tide stayed right with the Wolverines for much of the up-tempo matchup of two of the tournament's highest scoring teams. But everything changed when Lendeborg, the Big Ten player of the year, started to assert himself at the beginning of the second half.

Lendeborg stepped in front of an Alabama pass along the baseline and threw the ball ahead to Nimari Burnett for a fast-break dunk that gave Michigan a 54-51 lead with 17:04 left.

The 6-foot-9 Lendeborg then made a 3 and converted a driving layup to make it 62-54 with 14:50 remaining. Two foul shots by McKenney made it 75-60 with 9:22 to go, and it was too much for Alabama to overcome.

It was a sweet moment for Lendeborg, who was hoping for more interest from Alabama when he entered the transfer portal last year after two seasons at UAB. He ended up at Michigan, and the arrangement is working quite well for the forward and his team.