They traveled from Los Angeles, Birmingham, Alabama, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama by way of Lubbock, Texas. Others journeyed from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.

In a groundbreaking moment, 34 years after the University of Michigan first made history by starting five freshmen in a national championship game, they again broke new ground by fielding the first lineup composed entirely of transfer students in a title match.

The iconic ‘Fab Five’ of 1992 may have fallen short against Duke, but they set a precedent for the impact of freshmen in college basketball, influencing the rise of the one-and-done phenomenon. Fast forward to today, the ‘Flipped Five’ have demonstrated that, under the right conditions, a team built entirely on transfers can reach historic heights.

Following an impressive victory over Arizona on Saturday, the Michigan Wolverines claimed their second national title, triumphing over the Connecticut Huskies with a 69-63 win.

Head coach Dusty May cemented his reputation as one of the sport’s elite coaches, achieving this victory after a heart-wrenching loss in the 2023 Final Four with Florida Atlantic, where they were defeated at the buzzer.

While May’s coaching and scheme deserves plaudits and applause, it’s his cast of players that take the spotlight as Michigan becomes the first team in the NIL era to start five transfers in the national championship game. The win is just the cherry on top and proves that the portal is working at the top levels of the sport.

Michigan has won its first men’s basketball national championship since 1989

They were the first team in the portal era to start five transfers in the title game

Michigan head coach Dusty May cemented himself as one of the best coaches in the sport 

Give Connecticut credit. Outsized against a much more physical team, they kept the game under double digits for a majority of the contest. But poor matchups and cold shooting combined with an occasionally dubious whistle that ultimately doomed them. 

Michigan’s size promised to lead to tough matchups all evening long coming into the night. But from the start, Tarris Reed was handling the size of Aday Mara much better than the inverse.

Rather than be intimidated by the Wolverines’ size, the Huskies were willing to battle against them and fight in the paint. They also took advantage of Michigan’s tendency to allow triples – knocking down four triples at the half.

But the narrative going into the tunnel was the strict and mind-boggling whistle from the crew of James Breeding, Jeffrey Anderson and Kipp Kissinger. Neither team’s fans were pleased with the decisions by the crew. 

A questionable goaltending call for Michigan was then followed by an official’s stoppage to review a UConn hook-and-hold that was not initially called – giving the Wolverines two free throws and the ball.

The final shot of the first half saw Elliot Cadeau launch an attempted triple that he was bumped off from. No whistle was blown, leading to the majority Michigan crowd letting out loud boos. As Breeding and Co. walked to their locker room, the Michigan student section booed them and shouted loud enough profanities that Kissinger stared daggers back at one individual.

Both UConn’s Solo Ball and Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg were playing with ailments sustained in Saturday’s Final Four. Of the two, Lendeborg felt the worst – telling Tracy Wolfson, ‘I feel awful, I feel super weak right now. I can’t make anything.’

Freshman guard Trey McKinney celebrates after knocking down a crucial three-point shot 

Connecticut stayed in the game, despite the 10-4 foul disparity and the 6-12 free throw margin, largely due to hitting five triples. Michigan was 0-8 when they came out of the tunnel for the second half.

The Huskies also slowed the Wolverines’ typically quick offense down – giving them all the ability they needed to keep things competitive.

Then they turned the ball over five times in the first five minutes of the second half. The Wolverines built up an eleven point lead, UConn coach Dan Hurley was forced to call a timeout and all momentum was heading toward the Maize and Blue.

Most of that momentum was due to Mara and Morez Johnson shutting down every interior chance the Huskies had to start the final 20 minute period. But a brief Michigan cold streak opened the door a crack for the Huskies to cut the deficit to seven at the under-eight timeout. They didn’t take advantage as time slowly, slowly trickled down. 

Hearts went in Husky throats with a quick triple from Solo Ball as the navy clad fans from Storrs hoped a similar comeback to the one they put on Duke could be on the cards. 

But it wasn’t meant to be. Alex Karaban, UConn’s veteran warrior king who finished his final college game with a 17 point, 11 assist double-double, missed a triple. A final Husky chance clattered off the front rim. Michigan ran out on the floor as they were crowned ‘The Victors’ in college basketball again.

According to Mauro, U.S. intelligence agencies had laid the necessary groundwork to track down the missing colonel within Iran even before the mission commenced. Speaking on “Fox & Friends,” he elaborated that the operation was heavily dependent on intelligence that had been accumulated well in advance.

“You’ve got to collect, you collect, you collect, and often, much of it might never be used,” Mauro explained. “The key is when you need it, it has to be there.”

Mauro also referenced a previous operation involving Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, orchestrated by the Trump administration in January. He noted how U.S. forces utilized precise intelligence to anticipate the whereabouts of Maduro and his wife, enabling an effective capture attempt. This example further illustrates the critical importance of pre-gathered intelligence and strategic planning in successful operations.

Mauro pointed to the Maduro case, which unfolded at the behest of the Trump administration in January, noting U.S. forces’ ability to pinpoint where the Venezuelan dictator and his wife were going to be at the time in order to make an effective capture.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth shakes the hand of an American airman on a covert CENTCOM visit with troops in theater. (War Secretary/X)

“They got him as they were running to a safe room without a scratch. Everybody comes out without a scratch,” he said.

“They got them as they were fleeing. That’s how detailed the messaging was, and that’s how synchronized the operation was.”

Mauro said that same level of preparation and coordination was on display in the Iran mission, where U.S. forces rescued a missing U.S. weapons systems officer from a downed F-15E following a multi-day search inside enemy territory.

Artificial intelligence is a big factor in the Iran war and Iran realizes it. (iStock)

U.S. intelligence was able to act quickly to retrieve the missing colonel once his location was confirmed.

“[This] was one of those situations where the bell rang. ‘Guys, what [have] you got?’ President turns around, [War Secretary] Hegseth turns around, [and] they all talk to [CIA Director John] Ratcliffe and they say, ‘What [have] you got, director?’ and fortunately it was there.”

Mauro said the operation highlights a broader fact about intelligence work that is apparent to those working within its community: its success comes down to the people running the sources.

“At the end of the day… it comes down to people,” he said.

“If you think that you can sit in a cubicle someplace and get everything you need to be done, that’s not how it’s going to go. You need people in country, in dangerous areas, Americans working on our behalf that you’ll never hear about… they’re running the sources so that, again, when you need it, they say, ‘My source is good.’“

In an incident that underscores the adage that truth can indeed be stranger than fiction, a peculiar standoff at a gas station recently put seasoned police officers to the test.

According to the Irvine Police Department, an unusual scenario unfolded last week when a man strolled into a neighborhood gas station and insisted on receiving $55 worth of gasoline without any intention of paying for it. The police noted that this was especially audacious given today’s steep gas prices.

Despite the attendants’ refusal to comply with his demands, the man remained undeterred. He stationed himself at the gas pump, seemingly convinced that the free fuel he requested was imminent.

However, the free gas he anticipated never materialized.

When officers arrived at the scene, they encountered a situation that required a delicate balance of patience and negotiation. The confrontation took an unexpected turn into the realm of the surreal as the man reportedly began debating the existence of money itself.

“I sincerely believe that money as a unit of payment is not real,” that man is heard saying in a video of the incident released by Irvine Police.

The officers tried talking sense into the guy, explaining reality versus his personal beliefs, but he wasn’t having it.

“OK, you can believe that dude but this is reality,” the officer says. “If you want gas, you go pay for gas with cash or debit card, if you’re not going to do that, then you get out of here.”

Despite efforts to defuse the situation, authorities say there’s only so far talk can go.

When someone refuses to follow lawful orders, police noted, the consequences are — unlike the suspect’s theory about cash — very real.

The incident is just the latest reminder that in law enforcement, no two calls are ever the same.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Sylvia Williams from West Suburban Medical Center announced that the nursing staff is planning a press conference on Wednesday. Their aim is to discuss the ongoing situation and rally more community support.

On Monday evening, local community and religious figures expressed concern over the hospital’s uncertain future. They warned that if the facility remains closed, residents might face critical, life-threatening situations without necessary medical services.

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“We can’t gamble with people’s lives like this,” emphasized Rev. Robin Hood from Redeemed Outreach Ministry.

Dr. H.A. Barlow, Pastor at Morning Star Baptist Church of Chicago and board member of Insight Hospital, added, “This area cannot turn into a healthcare desert. We cannot allow people to die on the streets due to lack of medical care.”

As the current owners of West Suburban Medical Center work to stabilize its finances, Chicago’s pastors and community leaders are pushing for the hospital to resume operations under new management.

“We see an opportunity and a chance to change the trajectory, because, far as I can tell, and far as what I’ve been getting, that hospital is never going to open again under that current administration,” Hood said.

Resilience Health’s CEO spoke with ABC7 last week, saying he is working to fix a billing system problem to reopen the hospital in July.

SEE ALSO | Secret meeting held to oust West Suburban CEO before hospital’s closure, warnings of dire situation