Fredette picks Michigan to win NCAA title
Jimmer Fredette, the former BYU scoring sensation from the 2011 NCAA Tournament, predicts Michigan will win the men's basketball national championship. In an interview, the college basketball legend selected the No. 1 seed from the Midwest Region to cut down the nets on Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Fredette foresees Michigan defeating Arizona in Saturday's Final Four semifinal, after Illinois upsets UConn in the other matchup.
The Final Four features Michigan, Arizona, Illinois and UConn. Semifinals begin Saturday night at 6:09 p.m. ET with UConn against Illinois, followed by Michigan against Arizona. Michigan advanced with a 95-62 rout of No. 6 Tennessee in the Elite Eight on March 29, 2026, at the United Center in Chicago.
Under coach Dusty May in his second season, Michigan has won its four tournament games by double digits. Forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who averaged 15.2 points during the regular season, has scored 25 points per game in the tournament. Fredette cited the Wolverines' unique length and size, along with May's prior Final Four appearance with Florida Atlantic in 2023, as key advantages.
Arizona, the West Region's top seed, lost just two games during a rugged Big 12 schedule. Fredette called the Michigan-Arizona semifinal a virtual championship matchup given both teams' physicality and form. The winner advances to face the victor of UConn-Illinois for the title.
