DETROIT – Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Dusty May said his team is much better than it was a week ago vs. Oakland University.
May noted that the team did some good things at home, especially shooting the basketball, but after analyzing the film, they knew there was a lot to clean up and build on.
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He described Wake Forest as a very challenging matchup, noting its physical style, similar to that of the Cincinnati Bearcats, who beat Michigan 100-98 in an exhibition.
“They’re going to push us off our spots,” said May, emphasizing the importance of taking care of the basketball.
May also noted Wake Forest has smaller, versatile bigs, which have been a defensive challenge for Michigan in the first three games.
Trey McKenny
Regarding freshman Trey McKenny, May praised his humility and adaptability.
“For a five-star freshman to come into a program like Michigan and have a lot more questions than answers is probably a little bit rare,” May said.
May added that McKenny is still finding the best way to function within different lineup combinations and that his character and ability will help those questions work themselves out.
L.J. Cason
On the status of L.J. Cason, May said the guard looked like he did before his injuries in the last two days of practice.
“His conditioning has gotten back to where it was pre-injury,” May said.
He noted Cason can initiate offense and make plays for himself or teammates, but the team plays more positionless basketball, so backup point guard roles are flexible.
Defending smaller bigs
May addressed challenges with Aday Mara, noting the big man transfer from UCLA was talented but still developing, especially in defending smaller bigs —an area he said needs improvement.
defending smaller bigs, an area he said needs improvement.
“He has to improve his ability to contest threes, to sit down and guard,” May said, referring to Mara.
He added that the team must also do a better job supporting him defensively.
“He’s a really good player, but he hasn’t done that well enough yet for us to be in a championship-level program,” May said.
He emphasized that Mara needs to improve his ability to contest three-pointers and defend more effectively.
May also highlighted the team’s role in supporting Mara defensively, especially since Wake Forest will likely double-team him. “That is an area of concern in November,” he said, adding that early exposure to these challenges gives the team more time and focus to improve.
He expressed optimism about the team’s progress, saying, “I think we’re better in a lot of areas since last week. We’re not where we need to be, but I do think we’re inching in the right direction.”
Injuries
Regarding injuries, May said high-priced transfer Yaxel Lendeborg should be close to 100% and that freshman Winters Grady is back practicing after a foot injury in a minor way.
Lendeborg sustained a right-hand injury in practice leading up to the season opener against Oakland.
But reports indicated that no broken bones occurred, and the injury was not long-term, which is why he came off the bench and played limited minutes with his hand wrapped.
Lendeborg finished the game with 12 points, shooting 4-4, including a pair of three-pointers and a fast-break dunk, during which he grimaced while running back on defense.
May noted Grady had to sit out longer than he wanted, but is expected to help the team as he finds his role.
“Winters loves ball so much that he was injured and he kept reinjuring his foot in a minor way,” May said.
The medical staff advised Grady to sit out longer to fully recover, as playing at 50-70% would limit his effectiveness.
May acknowledged it was tough for Grady to be sidelined because of his passion for the game.
“Oakland would have been a great game for him to play because of their zone,” May said.
He added that if Grady gets a clean look, “there’s probably as good a chance of the ball going in as anyone on our team.”
Though Grady is still finding his role, May said missing early weeks makes it harder for a freshman, but he is confident Grady will contribute.
“He’s going to help this team,” May said.
Defense/offense cleanup
May said the team has work to do on both offense and defense.
“We can’t count on making 19 threes on a given night,” May said.
May stressed the defensive foundation is taking away layups and rhythm three-pointers, areas where teams are currently getting too many opportunities against Michigan.
Wake Forest guards
Discussing Wake Forest’s guards, May highlighted their speed and size, mentioning players like Juke Harris and Tre’Von Spillers who can score 20 points on any night without set plays.
He said the team will face new challenges from Wake that they haven’t seen yet.
Rematch
May reflected on last year’s game against Wake Forest, noting its lasting impact on the team.
“It matters because it puts you in a terrible mood once you rewatch it,” May said.
May added that the game, played in November of 2024, taught the team a lot about itself.
May explained that programs identify consistent strengths in their opponents.
“When we play team X, they’re going to be really good from this year in, year out,” May said.
Wake Forest is one of those teams, and some of the things that hurt Michigan last year are still being executed at a high level this season.
Reflecting on last year’s game against Wake, May said it was a tough loss that taught the team a lot.
“We discovered a few things after that game,” May said.
He noted Wake consistently excels in certain areas that hurt Michigan last year and continue to do so this year.
Player development
May spoke about player development, highlighting how sophomore Morez Johnson Jr. has improved rapidly, especially over the last week.
He described Johnson Jr. as a “junkyard dog” whose game is about intensity and physicality, and noted his growing ability as a passer, driver, and shooter.
Bigs shooting threes
On shooting, May said he doesn’t mind bigs shooting threes as long as they put in the work and show ability in practice.
May said Johnson Jr. has probably improved the most in practice over the last week.
“Does that translate to immediate success in the games and the things he’s working on? No,” May said. “But he’s definitely adding more and more where he’s becoming a weapon.”
May explained that there will be nights when defenses focus on Michigan’s three-point shooters, forcing Johnson Jr. to create his own advantage.
“He’s improving at doing that,” May said.
Regarding Johnson Jr.’s comfort shooting threes, May said all the big players want to shoot from beyond the arc, and he doesn’t mind as long as they put in the work.
“They’ve shown their ability to make them in practice,” May said, noting different types of threes like paint-touch and catch-and-shoot.
May added that at one point in a recent game, the team was 11-for-11 from two-point range, so they wanted to keep attacking the rim.
“By putting the pressure on the rim, you’re definitely going to get the paint touch threes,” May said.
May praised Johnson’s poise in crucial moments, saying, “When it’s winning time, he knows what it takes to go win a basketball game.”
Three-point shooting
May addressed concerns about the team’s three-point shooting after a boat racing Oakland, where they made 19 threes.
“Other than yesterday, I think we’ve shot it well every day of the week,” May said.
He noted one practice in which the team went 20-for-44 from three-point range.
May emphasized the importance of taking the right shots.
“If we take the right ones, we’re going to have some big shooting nights,” May said, highlighting shooters like Will Tschetter and Nimari Burnett.
May also mentioned Lendeborg, who shoots in the mid-30s percentage-wise on low volume and is encouraged to shoot more.
May said offseason concerns about the team being a poor shooter were probably overblown.
“We never thought we were built to be an elite shooting team, but McKenny was brought in as a high-level shooter,” May said, noting that USA Basketball coaches considered McKenny one of the best shooters in their camp before joining Michigan.
May also praised Grady and Cason for their shooting ability in practice.
He highlighted Elliot Cadeau‘s improvement, especially on off-balance threes, including a key three-pointer against St. John’s just before halftime.
“That’s what we need him to be able to do at the end of late shot clocks,” May said.
May said that the team’s focus is on shot quality and ball movement.
“That’s what we did against Oakland, really good in-rhythm threes, mostly good ball movement.”
Oscar Goodman
Regarding player Oscar Goodman, May encouraged him to stay the course despite being lower on the depth chart.
“Find your way to contribute,” May said.
May acknowledged Goodman’s talent and said consistency is still developing, but sees him as a valuable teammate on a competitive team.
Analytics
May explained how the coaching staff uses a mix of analytics and coaching observation to evaluate players and team performance.
He said percentages can be misleading, especially for low-volume shooters, and stressed the importance of work ethic and shot quality.
Physicality in practice
On physicality in practice, May said it varies depending on the schedule.
With an eight-day break, the staff aims to have the team look fast and fresh. He noted that more physicality is emphasized when there is more practice time between games.
May reflected on the recent game against Oakland, saying it was a good challenge and would help the team’s metrics later in the year.
He praised Oakland’s talent and coaching and said such games are becoming less common but important for the team’s development.
Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m.