The No. 1 Michigan Wolverines won their first national title since 1989.
It came at the expense of the No. 2 UConn Huskies.
Michigan defeated UConn 69-63 in the men’s NCAA Tournament National Championship on Monday night. UConn junior guard Silas Demary Jr. had to watch the final minute from the bench after fouling out with 1:07 left in regulation.
Demary Jr. exited with two points on 1-of-4 shooting from the field with two assists, two rebounds, and one block in 21 minutes.
Demary Jr. has been an unsung hero for UConn, as he fought through a high ankle sprain. The Athletic‘s Brendan Marks noticed Demary Jr. wearing “some sort of split or wrap tied around his left shin” during Monday night’s game.
It was a disappointing end to an otherwise magical season. Now, Huskies fans are unexpectedly panicking over whether it was also the end of Demary Jr.’s UConn tenure.
According to CT Insider’s David Borges, Demary Jr. said postgame that he and senior forward Alex Karaban will “probably be in each other’s weddings.”
That’s heartwarming.
But then, Borges threw in that Demary Jr. said he has a “tough decision to make” in terms of whether to return to UConn next season.
“Record scratch moment on Silas’s hard decision,” a UConn fan named Ross wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “You’re our PG. Improve in the off-season. Come back harder. This is your team to lead. Reset if you must after that loss, but come right back to Storrs so we can make another run.”
“Seriously? Why wouldn’t he return?????” another user wrote.
Some fans were confused by what Demary Jr. could possibly mean: the 2026 NBA Draft or the transfer portal. Others lamented the transfer portal altogether. Mostly, it was received as a left-field comment.
Demary Jr. transferred to UConn last April with two years of eligibility. He played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Georgia. During the 2024-25 season at Georgia, he averaged a career-high 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals.
Demary Jr. elevated his game considerably at UConn this season, averaging 10.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and a BIG EAST-leading six assists. He was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team.
UConn finished the year with a 34-6 record. Under head coach Dan Hurley, the Huskies have reached three of the past four national championship games — winning back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024.
