ARLINGTON, Texas — There was no need for Trey Burke heroics today. Mitch McGary and Nik Stauskas took care of things early for Michigan.
The Wolverines defeated the Florida Gators 79-59 in the South Region Final to reach their first Final Four since the Fab Five did it in back-to-back seasons in 1992 and 1993. The University of Michigan vacated those previous trips as part of later NCAA sanctions. Counting the 1992 and 1993 trips, this will be Michigan’s 7th Final Four in program history.
Michigan jumped all over the Gators right from the start of their game at Cowboys Stadium. The Wolverines scored the first 13 points of the game and went into halftime with a 47-30 lead. Mitch McGary scored 8 of the Wolverines first 13 points and had six rebounds and one block just after the 6:00 mark of the first half. The real star of the first half was Nik Stauskas, who was a perfect 5-5 from three-point range and ended the half with 19 points. Trey Burke had added 11 points in the first half and four assists as Michigan shot 51.4 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes including 63.6 percent from three-point range.
Michigan led by 24 at one point in the first half after a Nik Stauskas three made it 41-17 with 4:07 left in the first frame.
Florida threatened to get back into the game early in the second half when they started with a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 11 but at no point did the Gators ever get to within double-digits of Michigan in the second half.
Stauskas ended the game with a game-high 22 points which tied his career-high. Burke finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. McGary had 11 points and nine rebounds.
