‘The best basketball team I’ve ever seen’: How Dusty May led Michigan to the Big Ten title in Year 2
Champaign, IL – Michigan basketball fans owe a huge thank you to Mrs. May, according to coach Dusty May.
In his second year at the helm of the program, May and the No. 1 Wolverines. No. 3 ranked No. 3 clinched the Big Ten Conference regular season title with a dominant 84-70 victory over No. 11 Illinois on Friday, Feb. 27, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois.
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May helped lead Michigan’s transformation from an 8-24 season in 2023-24 to a potential No. 1 seed and regular season conference title with an impressive 27-2 record in 2025-26.
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May, of course, wasn’t with Michigan during the 2023-24 season: He was coaching Florida Atlantic to the Final Four like a great Cinderella. The run with the Owls had every agenda with an opening trying to woo May. However, the choice of Michigan was due to a family decision.
“Anna, my wife, has a big, big influence and probably more than me on my decision making,” May said with interest of his decision to choose Michigan over other programs. “I’m a pretty simple man. Give me a ball, a gym and some guys who want to work, and I’m happy with Michigan.”
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May listed Michigan as a place he would like his children to attend college, which factored into his decision, rather than looking for a team that could win a championship right away.
Talk about having the best of both worlds: With the win over Illinois, the Wolverines clinched their first Big Ten regular season title since 2021. Now, they’re locked into a No. 1 seed. 1 in the conference tournament and are likely a lock for the same in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
“The first time we saw the team together, we thought it was the most talented team our staff has ever had,” May said. “And some of us have been high major, mid major, low major. … We felt like this team had the highest upside or the most potential of any group.”
Michigan showed promise in the first year of May in 2024-25, finishing the season 27-10 with a loss to Auburn in the Sweet 16. The 14-6 record in conference play tied Maryland for second place in the Big Ten, a sign the Wolverines were trending in the right direction.
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May then went to the transfer portal to add UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg, North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau, Illinois forward Morez Johnson Jr. — who had 19 points and 11 rebounds against his former team on Feb. 27 — and UCLA center Aday Mara, putting together a championship-caliber Big Ten roster.
“We want to win a regular season Big Ten championship every year,” May said. “…Did we imagine that? What is our record, 17-1 (in the Big Ten)? Absolutely not. Because I have a lot of respect for the teams and the coaches and the talent in this league.”
Michigan’s elite defense beats an elite Illinois offense
According to KenPom rankings, Illinois entered Feb. 27 as the No. 1 team in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency. Meanwhile, Michigan entered with the No. 2 defense, trailing only No. 1 Duke.
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The adage that defense wins championships won the day for the Wolverines.
“That’s why they’re so good,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said of Michigan eliminating any potential mismatches Illinois has used against other opponents this season.
“They are the best basketball team I have ever seen in my nine years in this league,” Underwood added.
Illinois’ adjusted offensive efficiency (or points per 100 possessions) was 132.4 entering play Friday. The Fighting Illini entered averaging 85.1 points per game, ranking 22nd in the nation. They also tied for sixth in 3-pointers made per game.
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However, the Wolverines’ defense limited Illinois to 70 points – its lowest total in a loss since Nov. 28 at UConn – on 41.3% shooting from the field and 9-of-29 from 3-point range.
“They’re really good at punishing a matchup,” May said of the Illinois offense. “Because of the versatility of our lineup, I don’t think they did it as well as they usually do.”
While Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler finished with 23 points, including 17 in the second half, he shot just 7 of 17 from the field and had four turnovers. Lendeborg took it upon himself to not only guard Wagler, but guard him the entire 94 feet, applying pressure on him as soon as he received the inbounds pass.
“Yax was up to the challenge,” May said. “He loves to guard point guards. And then when he switches, you have a big body that played (center) in the American Conference, and played pretty well. So it’s not as easy to get the matchup advantages that they’re looking for against our team, because we can change what we do.”
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The leftover veterans lead the team into a new era
Nimari Burnett, Will Tschetter and Harrison Hochberg are three members of the Wolverines who were around for the 2023-24 team that finished 3-17 in conference play, good for dead last in the Big Ten standings.
However, they each stuck with the program, with Burnett starting all 29 games this season and Tschetter appearing in all 29 games. Instead of showing them the door when he took over the program, May instead kept the three building the culture in Ann Arbor for the team that won the conference this season.
“We kept those guys because we believe in who they are as people, first and foremost,” May said. “It was a tough season for Michigan basketball. There were a handful of guys that we couldn’t recruit for various reasons and then there were others that we thought could fit our culture as far as work ethic.
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“Nimari and Will were both guys who dived in from Day 1 and wanted Michigan back in this position. It was as simple as that.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Dusty May led Michigan to the Big Ten regular season title in Year 2