INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan won its second NCAA men’s basketball championship Monday night, but it wasn’t the high-scoring, 3-point-happy team that fans had watched all season. Instead, the Wolverines grinded out a 69-63 victory over UConn in a defensive slugfest that felt like a throwback to a bygone era.

Elliot Cadeau led all scorers with 19 points, including Michigan’s first 3-pointer of the game — which didn’t come until 7:04 remained in the second half. The Wolverines missed their first 11 attempts from beyond the arc and finished 2 of 15. The second and final triple, from freshman Trey McKenney, arrived with 1:50 left and stretched the lead to nine, effectively sealing the outcome.

UConn, as expected, refused to go quietly. Solo Ball banked in a 3 with 37 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to four. After two missed free throws by Michigan, UConn’s Alex Karaban (17 points) had a clean look from deep with 17 seconds left that would have made it a one-point game, but his shot barely grazed the rim. McKenney then sank two free throws to put the game away.

The Wolverines (37-3) shot 25 of 28 from the foul line, a critical edge in a game where every possession mattered. The victory delivered the program’s second national title, the first since 1989.

Michigan’s star graduate transfer Yaxel Lendeborg struggled, hampered by a sore knee and foot that limited his mobility. He finished with 13 points on 4-for-13 shooting.

UConn’s defense forced Michigan into its worst outside shooting night of the season, but the Wolverines’ interior toughness and free-throw accuracy proved enough to cut down the nets.