UConn basketball beats Michigan in 2026 National Championship rematch.
The highly anticipated 2026 National Championship rematch between UConn basketball and Michigan did not disappoint. The UConn crowd at TD Garden was rocking right from the jump and took over the building as they always do.
The first half was extremely physical with UConn being called for 14 fouls and Michigan 10 fouls. As a cherry on top, UConn’s bench was also called for a technical foul which resulted in an amazing stretch of three consecutive missed free throws for Michigan.
Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins got the scoring going early with Demary Jr. dropping 17 points and Mullins hitting three long balls in the first half.
Five-star freshman Colben Landrew helped grow UConn basketball’s lead down the stretch as UConn brought a 43 to 30 lead into halftime.
UConn basketball kept their foot on the gas pedal, leading comfortably the entire second half and building the lead to as high as 18 points. UConn secured a big win in their non-conference schedule and moves to 2-0 on the season.
WELCOME TO THE DOG HOUSE 🔥 https://t.co/u3wr5nlJLj
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) November 7, 2026
Silas Demary Jr. is on Bob Cousy Award watch.
Silas Demary Jr. proved why he is a real threat to win the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s best point guard this season. He would be the fourth UConn basketball player to win the award, joining Kemba Walker, Shabazz Napier, and Tristen Newton.
After battling injuries in the NCAA Tournament and being limited due to foul issues in the National Championship game, Demary Jr. had plenty to prove in the rematch. He was magnificent, scoring 21 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing out 4 assists.
For UConn basketball, Silas Demary Jr. does everything, he is their quote on quote “quarterback” running the offense and playing excellent perimeter defense.
There are going to be several games this season where it doesn’t even seem like he did much, but he will finish with 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. That’s just how good he is.
Braylon Mullins has taken the leap.
Braylon Mullins was a speculative lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft but ultimately decided to return to UConn for his sophomore season.
So far it seems like he made the right decision. He made a statement against Michigan dropping 23 points and showing the improvements he made in the offseason.
He looked much stronger physically against a very good Michigan team which was one of the only knocks on him in his freshman season.
He also showed the ability to play more on-ball, getting into the paint to score as well as hitting some mid-range jumpers. He will continue to improve as the season goes along and should be a First Team All-Big East player for UConn.
The only concern with Mullins is his lingering knee injury from the pre-season which caused him to miss some of the exhibition games. He showed no signs of injury until the closing minutes when he appeared to re-aggravate his knee while landing after a dunk attempt.
He did finish out the game for UConn but all of UConn nation will be holding their breath and hope it does not become a long-term issue this season because he is such a special player.
UConn basketball’s strength is in their pack.
UConn basketball showed that the biggest strength of their team will be the depth. With four of their starters in foul trouble in the first-half, UConn had to rely on their bench in a tight contest.
Instead of just trying to survive their bench minutes, they were able to use their bench to actually build their lead against a top-20 team in Michigan.
Colben Landrew was outstanding, scoring 14 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Oskar Giltay and Junior County held their own as well as each of them played big minutes for UConn and didn’t look out of place at all.
With Solo Ball appearing to be returning this season after initially being ruled out for the year, the roster is about as deep as it has ever been for the UConn Huskies.