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Ann Arbor ― University of Michigan fans are preparing to celebrate the men's basketball team's second NCAA championship in 37 years on Saturday with a parade and a ticketed event at the Crisler Center.
The celebration follows No. 1 seed Michigan's 69-63 victory Monday night over No. 2 seed UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium. The victory snapped a string of four consecutive losses in the title game since Michigan won it all in 1989 over Seton Hall. It also ended the Big Ten’s national title drought — one that dated to 2000, when Michigan State won it — and tied 2005 Illinois for the most victories by a Big Ten team in a season.
Elliott Cadeau, a sophomore guard who is planning to return for his junior season, led Michigan with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in the championship win and was named the NCAA Tournament's most valuable player.
More: From start to finish, Michigan basketball knew it had a 'special group'
A crowd of hundreds welcomed the team back to campus on Tuesday afternoon.
More: How to watch the Michigan basketball championship celebration
Fans decked out in blue and maize began to fill the side of State Street near the president's house an hour before the start of the parade. Most wore coats or hoodies because of the cold.
Raelin Fontenot, 39, and her 4-year-old daughter Solana Richardson were two of the fans bundled up on the side of the street. Fontenot said she's been a Wolverines fan for less than a year because she recently moved to Ann Arbor with her fiance, who manages a restaurant downtown.
"Being in Ann Arbor, you kind of have to be a Michigan fan," Fontenot said.
Fontenot called the parade a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
It's been so long since the basketball team has won, so watching it, being here with my daughter, we had to be here."
While college students were among the crowd, many of the fans were much older.
Bernie Stump, 69, grew up in Toledo, Ohio, but connected with the Wolverines because his high school's football helmets had the same design. He became a fan in the mid-70s after he moved to Michigan for work.
He said the Wolverines had a great season and he enjoyed following the team.
"Those were wonderful games. We watched as many of them as we could. And definitely the last couple ones we were watching."
Stump especially likes Wolverines head coach Dusty May.
"He can put a roster together, and once you've got a roster together, you've got to get them to come together and play good, and he can do that," he said.
As 10 a.m. approached, the sides of State Street became full of maize and blue. A helicopter flew overhead and the Ann Arbor Fire Department raised a flag from a ladder truck over the parade route.
First up is a parade through Central Campus that starts at 10 a.m. in front of the university president’s house at 815 South University Avenue. The parade will then head west to South State Street and will turn left and go south and end at the Yost Ice Arena.
Streets around the parade route will close at 8 a.m.
After the parade, UM will host a championship celebration at the Crisler Center, the home arena of the men’s basketball team. The celebration gets underway at 1 p.m. Tickets are $30 for the upper bowl, $75 for the lower bowl and $20 for students. Tickets are available at MGoBlue.com/tickets. The doors open at noon.
You can also watch the championship celebration on the Big Ten Network at 1 p.m.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Live updates: Michigan fans celebrate men's basketball championship
Continue reading...
The celebration follows No. 1 seed Michigan's 69-63 victory Monday night over No. 2 seed UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium. The victory snapped a string of four consecutive losses in the title game since Michigan won it all in 1989 over Seton Hall. It also ended the Big Ten’s national title drought — one that dated to 2000, when Michigan State won it — and tied 2005 Illinois for the most victories by a Big Ten team in a season.
Elliott Cadeau, a sophomore guard who is planning to return for his junior season, led Michigan with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in the championship win and was named the NCAA Tournament's most valuable player.
More: From start to finish, Michigan basketball knew it had a 'special group'
A crowd of hundreds welcomed the team back to campus on Tuesday afternoon.
More: How to watch the Michigan basketball championship celebration
Crowd gathers in anticipation of parade
Fans decked out in blue and maize began to fill the side of State Street near the president's house an hour before the start of the parade. Most wore coats or hoodies because of the cold.
Raelin Fontenot, 39, and her 4-year-old daughter Solana Richardson were two of the fans bundled up on the side of the street. Fontenot said she's been a Wolverines fan for less than a year because she recently moved to Ann Arbor with her fiance, who manages a restaurant downtown.
"Being in Ann Arbor, you kind of have to be a Michigan fan," Fontenot said.
Fontenot called the parade a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
It's been so long since the basketball team has won, so watching it, being here with my daughter, we had to be here."
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While college students were among the crowd, many of the fans were much older.
Bernie Stump, 69, grew up in Toledo, Ohio, but connected with the Wolverines because his high school's football helmets had the same design. He became a fan in the mid-70s after he moved to Michigan for work.
He said the Wolverines had a great season and he enjoyed following the team.
"Those were wonderful games. We watched as many of them as we could. And definitely the last couple ones we were watching."
Stump especially likes Wolverines head coach Dusty May.
"He can put a roster together, and once you've got a roster together, you've got to get them to come together and play good, and he can do that," he said.
As 10 a.m. approached, the sides of State Street became full of maize and blue. A helicopter flew overhead and the Ann Arbor Fire Department raised a flag from a ladder truck over the parade route.
How to watch Michigan's basketball celebration
First up is a parade through Central Campus that starts at 10 a.m. in front of the university president’s house at 815 South University Avenue. The parade will then head west to South State Street and will turn left and go south and end at the Yost Ice Arena.
Streets around the parade route will close at 8 a.m.
How to watch the Michigan basketball celebration at the Crisler Center
After the parade, UM will host a championship celebration at the Crisler Center, the home arena of the men’s basketball team. The celebration gets underway at 1 p.m. Tickets are $30 for the upper bowl, $75 for the lower bowl and $20 for students. Tickets are available at MGoBlue.com/tickets. The doors open at noon.
You can also watch the championship celebration on the Big Ten Network at 1 p.m.
[email protected]
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Live updates: Michigan fans celebrate men's basketball championship
Continue reading...
