The Players Era Festival is a unique holiday tournament over the week of Thanksgiving.
This is unlike traditional brackets. It uses preset matchups and point-differential standings to determine who plays for the championship, with teams competing for NIL opportunities, guaranteeing each participating team significant player compensation.
And Michigan rolled into Las Vegas ready to win it all.
Through three games, the Wolverines overwhelmed their opponents. Leaving no doubt and defeating teams by an average of 40 points. Michigan was led by UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg, who won tournament MVP after helping his team beat Gonzaga 101-61 in the Championship final.
How ridiculous was Michigan in Las Vegas? This ridiculous: Michigan is the first team — ever — to beat ranked teams by 30-plus points in back-to-back games, per CBS Sports Research.
Had never been done in men’s D-I history.
Until tonight.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 27, 2025
“This week was about showing what we’re capable of,” Lendeborg said. “A lot of the guys felt like we were being disrespected because of our early struggles, so today we were just putting the world on notice that we’re here to be the best team in the nation.”
Michigan opened the festival with a 94-54 win over San Diego State, then followed it up with a 102-72 win over No. 21 Auburn. Against both teams, the Wolverines showcased balance, depth, pace and a defense that looked increasingly better outing after outing.
By the time they reached the championship matchup, Michigan was operating with poise and confidence that Gonzaga couldn’t match.
The Wolverines scored on their first five possessions and built a 24-point lead by halftime. They were disciplined on defense and moved the ball extremely well. Gonzaga was never able to recover.
Lendeborg led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds, but he wasn’t doing it alone.
Outside of the UAB transfer, head coach Dusty May has a history of success in the portal and brought in plenty of transfers that contributed, such as Elliot Cadeau, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara. This was a transfer-portal class that not only reshaped Michigan’s roster, but its expectations.
May also credited the team’s chemistry and decision-making for the breakthrough.
“I think now we’re starting to take a lot more intelligent risks, calculated risks,” he said. “And when one guy takes a risk, another guy is covering his back. They’re getting used to playing with each other.”
May also pointed to the transfers as a major reason for the tournament dominance.
“These guys came here because they wanted to win,” he said. “They didn’t come for promises or guarantees. They came to compete, and they’ve set a tone in our locker room.”
For Michigan, the tournament served as more than a résumé boost. In an event built around NIL opportunities and early-season exposure, the Wolverines showcased the depth, cohesion and defensive identity of a team that expects to be playing deep into March.
Now 7-0, it’s a statement about the program’s new era under May. It’s defined by player development, culture and an unselfish brand of basketball that quickly won over the Las Vegas crowd.
On Monday morning, as the NCAA released its first edition of the NET rankings for the 2025-26 men’s basketball season, it was Michigan sitting atop at standings at No. 1 overall. A testament to May’s success in the transfer portal this offseason.
