At this point, there’s not much left to say that hasn’t already been said about Michigan basketball.
The Wolverines manhandle teams with their size, neutralize them with their speed, overwhelm them with their scheme and bury them with their depth. Every piece of it was on display Saturday, Feb. 14, particularly in the second half, when they outscored a UCLA team on pace for the NCAA tournament in an 86-56 rout at Crisler Center.
Michigan (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) has now won 10 games in a row, continues to extend its best start in program history and is vibing every step of the way as it closes in on a Big Ten regular-season championship.
The Wolverines are naturally excited for Monday’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll to come out, where they will be ranked the No. 1 team in the country, but continue their steadfast approach of not getting wrapped up in it during February.
“It feels really good, but as you said, we have tough games now coming up,” center Aday Mara said after he put up nine points and eight rebounds against his former team. “We got to focus on, on that, on our scout, on practicing, getting better.
“Our goal is not being number one in the country, our goal is to win everything.”
The Wolverines have won nine games during their streak by double figures and have just two wins in Big Ten play by less than 10 points. They’re looking like the juggernaut they seemed in November, when they routed three potential NCAA tournament teams in three days by 110 combined points.
Detractors have called U-M “the best team money can buy” as a pejorative, but dollars don’t purchase chemistry. That has to be instilled, absorbed and reciprocated to every player in the locker room.
“In the era of NIL, and just this era of college basketball, it’s amazing what Dusty [May] and the staff have done, recruiting great personalities, unselfish guys,” said Nimari Burnett, who scored 12 against the Bruins. “[Usually] like one or two in the portal go elsewhere. I feel like Dusty grabbed all of them, so I’m super grateful to share a court with these guys.
“You name it, all the transfers, the freshmen and the returners as well.”
Making history in front of history
The best player in program history, Cazzie Russell, sat courtside for the latest blowout.
Dozens of players were celebrated on Valentine’s Day during halftime where U-M welcomed back teams from 1966 (Big Ten champs), 1976 (National runner-up), and 1986 (Big Ten champs) to Crisler Center.
“He’s embedded in the lore of the University of Michigan, and he’s an unbelievable human being,” May said of Russell. “Part of our job is, is to represent the university, the athletic department, everyone connected, but also the former players. I mean our guys, they take that responsibility because they’re getting NIL money. … It’s not because of us – now, we’re a piece of it – but it’s because of all the people that laid a foundation before us.”
Russell joked “it would be a good game” if his 1965 national runner-up team faced the 2026 group, saying this year’s team would have its hands full with center Bill Buntin. But any team, from any era, would have its hands full with this squad.
For all of Michigan’s strengths, it’s its ability to come in waves that teams simply can’t keep up with.
“There’s a cumulative effect,” May said of sending in waves of talent. “It’s comforting to look at the bench and know that there’s four guys sitting there that there’s not going to be, I don’t even want to say drop off, we might have an acceleration because of the guy sitting over there.
“They’re fresh, they’ve seen the game, they’re smart and they’re communicating with each other.”
Eyes on the prize
There was a big week early on in this 10-game winning streak that at the time was the biggest of the season, as Michigan beat Nebraska and Michigan State, both which were in the top 10, in back-to-back games.
Somehow, the stakes are even larger for this week. Michigan travels to No. 12 Purdue on Tuesday, a building where it got shellacked last season 91-64.
The Boilermakers are tied for second place, two games back of the Wolverines.
Then on Saturday, the Wolverines travel to Washington, DC, for the “Duel in the District” against No. 6 Duke, where ESPN will host its College GameDay show on site.
These are Elite Eight or Final Four level tests, which is why the Wolverines barely even celebrated their win against UCLA.
“This team has such a high ceiling, and we have such a long road in front of us − to be honest, I challenged our guys to turn the page to Purdue as soon as they leave the locker room,” May said. “We have a quick-turn against a team with two preseason first team all Americans and preseason number one ranking. You don’t have time to bask [in success].”
On a day where a trio of past teams were honored, it’s hard not to think forward to the types of celebrations this Wolverines team may have, both in the coming months and years ahead.
For Will Tschetter and Burnett, the turnaround is stark. Two years ago at this time, they were on a team plummeting toward the worst Michigan season since 1961.
But just because there’s no time to bask in success doesn’t mean it has gone unnoticed.
“It’s special, man,” Burnett said. “I’m just taking it one day at a time, enjoying every single moment with this group.”
Make “Hail Yes!” your go-to Wolverines podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify).
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: We’re about to learn how good Michigan basketball really is
Reporting by Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
