ANN ARBOR, Mich. – No. 4-ranked Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May expressed excitement about the team’s upcoming West Coast trip following their first loss of the season against Wisconsin.
“We’re excited to get on the road and regroup and refocus as a unit and see if we can get back to playing much, much better basketball,” May said.
Recommended Videos
When asked how last year’s West Coast trip’s success might help this year’s team, May noted the difference in the group’s experience but emphasized the importance of using the time together wisely.
“This is a different group, but obviously, we’re confident that the time spent together will be used wisely. We have to get better this week, much better, prior to playing in Washington and then use that to learn more about ourselves as we prepare for Oregon,” May said.
May highlighted the importance of team bonding during trips, especially given how players often live apart due to NIL and other factors.
“Because we have such good guys and they really like each other and respect each other, simply being forced to spend more time together is healthy. They develop an even greater bond and trust amongst each other,” May said.
May confirmed there are planned off-court activities during the trip, including dinners, to foster team unity.
Washington
Regarding upcoming opponents, May praised Washington’s recent performance and tough home environment.
“They got a big win last night versus Ohio State. They’re playing better now, making shots, and have a good roster. They’re well coached and have only lost one home game this year,” May said.
Tip-off is slated for 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.
Health
On player health, May provided an update on Yaxiel Lendeborg, who was a game-time decision at Penn State.
“He seemed much better yesterday. Hopefully, just like after his hand injury earlier this year, he gets back to being himself,” May said.
Game management
When discussing game management and timeouts during the Wisconsin loss, May explained his decisions were based on the team’s offensive rhythm.
“We were in a great rhythm offensively. That five-minute stretch was probably as efficient as any offensive basketball performance in college basketball this year,” May said.
May acknowledged mistakes in defensive communication and adjustments, but noted the team’s offensive flow was strong.
He also reflected on the team’s intensity, which has been a concern recently.
“I don’t feel like this team hasn’t played with intensity. We’ve played at a really high level of intensity up until just recently,” May said. “Will we ever be satisfied? Probably not. That’s part of being a championship team.”
→ Badgers bite back: Wisconsin shocks No. 2 Michigan at Crisler in 91-88 upset victory
Shooting struggles
Regarding the recent shooting struggles, especially by Trey McKenney and Nimari Burnett, May attributed them mostly to shots not falling rather than poor shot selection.
“The ball didn’t go in the hole versus if it did,” May said. “We played good ball. We were turning down good ones for great ones, and it didn’t go in.”
Offensive goaltending
May also touched on the controversial, offensive goaltending call in the Wisconsin game, saying he thought it was a correct call.
Trey Burke
Looking ahead, May expressed enthusiasm for honoring former Michigan star Trey Burke next week.
“It’s awesome. Trey Burke is a national player of the year. We love having those guys around,” May said.
Learning from loss
He concluded by emphasizing the importance of learning from the loss and using the upcoming trip to regroup.
“We feel like this is the perfect time for us to regroup and refocus on what makes us us,” May said.