Michigan vs. Arizona live updates, score: Final Four game analysis, highlights from March Madness

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Here we go

Michigan wins the tip. We are underway.

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Winner faces UConn

Half of Monday's national title game is set. The winner of Arizona vs. Michigan will face No. 2 seed UConn for the title.

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Bryce James in the background: LeBron's middle child has zero minutes, huge influence on Arizona's Final Four

Arizona freshman Bryce James is a popular interview request these days. It's been that way from the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament to the Final Four this week in Indianapolis. When you're the son of LeBron James, you are bound to draw eyeballs.

James didn't speak to reporters Thursday ahead of Arizona's matchup against Michigan this weekend in the national semifinals. Tucked away in the Wildcat locker room on Thursday, an Arizona staffer was shielding the media away from James. CBS Sports approached James last month after Arizona's win over Utah State in the second round, but an Arizona staffer said James would not be doing any interviews.

Players who are redshirting and/or injured don't have to talk to the media, but they can if they choose to. When reporters approached him on Thursday during media day at the Final Four, they were also quickly turned down.Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said earlier this week the program wants to "protect" James during his redshirt season.

Bryce James in the background: LeBron's middle child has zero minutes, huge influence on Arizona's Final Four

Cameron Salerno

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Elliot Cadeau's journey took unexpected turn, but cashew chaos can't derail Michigan's 'competitive psycho'

Elliot Cadeau's journey to the Final Four took an unexpected twist on Wednesday when Michigan's junior point guard got wheeled out of the Wolverines' practice facility and loaded into an ambulance while dealing with an allergic reaction to a piece of salmon that he didn't realize was coated with cashews.

"I feel like it wasn't as dramatic as it seemed," Cadeau said of the scene, which understandably sent a wave of shock through the Wolverines.

Cadeau described his worst symptom as some hives and said, "I never felt nervous about it."

Elliot Cadeau's journey took unexpected turn, but cashew chaos can't derail Michigan's 'competitive psycho'

David Cobb

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Koa Peat benefitted from early growth spurt, but it's the Arizona big man's game that took off late

Arizona freshman power forward Koa Peat was what college basketball scouts call an early bloomer in high school. He was bigger and stronger than his peers at an early age and also more productive.

He's the son of a former NFL offensive lineman and he looked the part even as a 15-year-old. He was physical, able to play through contact and had an early knack for getting to his spots inside of 12 feet. While he would take his conditioning and consequent athleticism to new levels in the next three years, the DNA of his game would remain largely the same.

While the productivity was undeniable, early bloomers don't always pan out long term. In fact, the typical rule of thumb is that they follow a law of diminishing returns as other players start to catch-up physically.

Koa Peat benefited from early growth spurt, but it's the Arizona big man's game that took off late

Adam Finkelstein

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What's next for North Carolina coaching search after Tommy Lloyd inks new deal with Arizona?

North Carolina's A1 target is off the board. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd announced Friday that he will ink a new contract to stay in Tucson. On the eve of the Final Four, a fresh $7.2 million annual contract will head Lloyd's direction. Now it's time to swerve in Chapel Hill.

Michigan's Dusty May remains a logical top choice. May led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023, and he has Michigan just two wins away from an NCAA National Championship. May's buyout is $7.5 million, which is a feasible number for North Carolina's brass.

After Lloyd's decision, North Carolina is expected to ramp up the heat on May. He's the splashiest name on the board with the cache on the recruiting trail to turn North Carolina into a serious challenger for Duke's supremacy atop the ACC.

What's next for North Carolina coaching search after Tommy Lloyd inks new deal with Arizona?

Isaac Trotter

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Tommy Lloyd's surest shot: Arizona coach built a behemoth and bond through his lifelong Beastie Boys fandom

It's 9 p.m. two nights before the biggest game of Tommy Lloyd's life, and where do we find him? In the basement of Brothers Bar & Grill, donning a "BTFD" backward hat and scratching a beat on a turntable in front of some of his closest friends and family — as if he's the happiest kid at his birthday party.

But this is no birthday party. This is a celebration for Arizona basketball, which is making its first trip to the Final Four in 25 years and is back in Indianapolis for the Final Four for the first time since 1997, the year of the program's sole national title.

Practice, film, media obligations: They've all been fulfilled for the day. There's another heavy load of preparation and scouting coming all throughout Friday, and then one last crucial cram on Saturday before Arizona's mammoth meetup with fellow No. 1 seed Michigan. It could be one of the best national semifinal matchups ever.

Tommy Lloyd's surest shot: Arizona coach built a behemoth and bond through his lifelong Beastie Boys fandom

Matt Norlander

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(1) Arizona vs. (1) Michigan

We've often heard about teams struggling to shoot in football stadiums. What helps offset that? Size. And these two teams have plenty of it. The average height of the starters in Arizona-Michigan is 79.5 inches, making it the second-tallest Final Four matchup in the past 50 years, according to CBS Sports research. Arizona uses its positional size to dominate the offensive glass, while Michigan's size fuels one of the most efficient two-point offenses in the country.

If both teams relied heavily on 3-point shooting, there might be concern about replicating regular-season production in a venue like Lucas Oil Stadium. That's not the case here -- particularly for Arizona, which operates more inside-out.

That said, this matchup also features the nation's top two defenses. For our favorite pick, the expectation is a first half that reflects the anticipated pace and scoring, followed by a second half where adjustments lead to more stops and a slower tempo.

With a full-game total of 157.5 requiring sustained offensive production over 40 minutes, the focus instead is on the first half. Pick: 1H Over 74

2026 March Madness predictions: NCAA expert bracket picks, odds for Final Four games on Saturday

Chip Patterson

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