The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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8 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MARCH 2026 I magine the sort of iconic photo- graphs Dusty May's team might cre- ate this season. Celebrating a sweep over Michigan State and wrapping up a Big Ten title in the regular-season finale on March 8. Cutting down the nets after a second straight Big Ten Tournament championship in Chicago. Thrusting index fingers skyward while One Shin- ing Moment plays in Indianapolis. Those could all supplant a single im- age that captures the season thus far. But that one moment will long endure as a favorite of Michigan fans, and a symbol that the Wolverines aren't back- ing down from anyone. There was May, sitting and looking out at the Breslin Center court, legs crossed, arms outstretched on sideline chairs. Behind him, members of the Michigan State student section scream at him, boo him lustily, and shower him with more than a few obscenities. The Michigan coach flashes a toothy grin as if to say bring it on, looking like he owns the place. Shortly thereafter, he and his team did, throttling the Spartans, 83-71, for Michigan's first win there since 2018. Afterward, May explained the warm welcome he received and why he stuck around for it. "I was actually just taking a peek," May assured. "I thought when we pulled in, the students were still lined up down the block … there's a long line. I was like, OK, they're not in yet. But, man … this is big time. There's a lot of antici- pation for this game. I walked by, and I was greeted. "As soon as I stuck my head out on the court, I was like, there's no way I'm going to run from this smoke now. This stuff doesn't bother me. And so, I just let them get all their frustration and their animosity out early, and then that way they can enjoy the game. I felt like I contributed to the environment just a little bit." May contributed to the Michigan bas- ketball environment over the past two seasons like Thomas Edison contributed to nightlife. The Wolverines won eight games the year before he showed up, wallowing in disarray. They won 27 last year, including a Big Ten Tournament championship and a Sweet 16 berth. This year, his crew rampaged to the best start in Michigan basketball his- tory — 22-1 following an 82-61 rout of Ohio State in Columbus on Feb. 8. They stood No. 2 nationally, alone atop the Big Ten at 12-1. Consider what they've done in just the last month. May's men swept a pair of West Coast Big Ten showdowns, flew back to romp past Indiana on short prep, swept the Buckeyes, delivered Nebraska's first loss of the season fol- lowing a 20-0 start, and sent Tom Izzo into a 40-minute meltdown, one that threatens to rage on indefinitely. The Wolverines did it all by comport- ing themselves just like May did that night at Breslin. Fearless. Composed. Disciplined. Defiant. And ultimately, dominant. This bunch doesn't shy away from dreaming big. They've spoken about the magical Monday night in April all sea- son, like it's penciled onto their sched- uling calendar. Who knows? Maybe it's written in ink. Graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg stated it plainly during Michigan's blowout explosion in Las Vegas earlier this year. He insisted the Wolverines feature the best frontcourt in the na- tion, consisting of him at 6-foot-9, sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. at 6-9, and junior center Aday Mara at 7-3. The trio continues to back it up, Mara dropping a career-high 24 points in front of a silenced OSU crowd. Mostly, this crew demonstrates Jalen Rose-level cockiness while at a greatly reduced decibel level. They know they're good. They're determined to prove they're great. And May stands ready to pull that out of them. After Ohio State, May told his team in the locker room: "Guys, three weeks ago, people were questioning our dis- cipline and maturity. And there were probably 10 times, as coaches talk dur- ing the game, that we sat there and said, 'Man, we have a disciplined group. We have a group that is maturing in front of us'. And guys, that's what it's going to take to be at championship level. "We've got a bunch of street fights in front of us. Feel good about your team- mates' success. Feel good about doing this together. Who knows who's up next. This is February. If this is still fun and we still love competing with each other, then we can take another step, and we've got another gear in us." That's scary for opponents. That's nearly unprecedented ecstasy for Mich- igan fans. This is a season to savor, even with the understanding this crew isn't invincible — just ask Wisconsin. Lloyd Carr always said it, and it bears repeating: Winning is about finishing. Regardless, this represents a special season at the start of a special era. En- joy the ride. ❏ WOLVERINE WATCH ❱ JOHN BORTON Enjoy The Start Of A Special Era Head coach Dusty May said he enjoyed the ener- gized atmosphere in East Lansing while guiding Michigan to an 83-71 win against the Spartans, the program's first victory there since 2018. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Senior writer John Borton has been with The Wolverine since 1991. Contact him at jborton@thewolverine.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @JB_Wolverine.