ANN ARBOR, Mich. – No. 3-ranked Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Dusty May praised his team’s resilience after a challenging 74-62 victory against Ohio State.
May credited Ohio State’s strong game plan for disrupting Michigan’s rhythm early on, noting the team struggled to get shots and free throws to fall.
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“I want to give Ohio State credit for that. They had a really good sound game plan. They were able to keep us out of rhythm, keep us in the half-court,” said May.
May highlighted the impact of the second unit and the energy from fans, saying the atmosphere felt like a rivalry game that meant a lot to everyone involved.
He noted that a full-court defense sparked the team’s offense and praised his players for extending their defense without giving up easy points.
Regarding offensive rebounding, May expressed some disappointment but acknowledged the team’s solid national ranking overall.
May praised Yaxel Lendeborg for adapting his game by attacking the rim aggressively after struggling with three-point shots.
May also discussed how opponents try to slow down the game with late-clock passing and delay tactics, but said his team stayed disciplined on defense.
Trey Burke
When asked about his interactions with former player Trey Burke, the coach described him as a warm, talented individual who improved his teams and remains respected by current players.
→ From Final Four to NBA: Michigan basketball honors Trey Burke with No. 3 jersey raised to rafters
Turnovers
May addressed turnovers, saying the team was out of sync at times and that raw emotion alone won’t lead to success; execution is key.
Trey McKenney
May praised Trey McKenney’s solid floor game and ability to recognize matchup advantages during extended playing time.
Looking ahead
Looking ahead, May emphasized focusing on upcoming tough games against Nebraska and Michigan State rather than savoring past performances.
May highlighted the importance of guard play and a balanced team effort to contend for a national title as his team improved to 18-1, 8-1 in the Big Ten.
On the topic of teams adding impact players mid-season, May said his team is not doing that and expressed no strong opinion on the practice.