WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The top-ranked Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) will begin a crucial road week, traveling to West Lafayette, Indiana, to face the No. 7-ranked Purdue Boilermakers (21-4, 11-3 Big Ten) at Mackey Arena.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with the Big Ten matchup streamed on Peacock on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
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This week features two pivotal top-7 matchups for Michigan.
After facing No. 7 Purdue, the Wolverines will head to Washington, D.C., to take on No. 3 Duke in the Edward Jones Capital Showcase.
Michigan has reached the No. 1 ranking for the first time since Jan. 30, 2013 — a span of 13 years and 17 days.
That 2013 team, led by Trey Burke, advanced to its first Final Four in 20 years and finished as the national runner-up.
Prior to 2013, Michigan’s last stint at No. 1 was in December 1992 with the Fab Five.
The program has spent 38 total weeks ranked No. 1, compiling a 30-8 record during those stretches.
Michigan holds a 77-94 all-time record against Purdue, though Purdue has won the last two meetings.
On the road in West Lafayette, Indiana, Michigan is 26-57 overall but has gone 5-6 in its last 11 games there.
The teams met three times last season, splitting the regular season: Purdue won 91-64 at Mackey Arena, and Michigan won 75-73 at Crisler Center.
Michigan then won the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal rematch 86-68 en route to its fourth Big Ten Tournament title.
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Michigan and Purdue have met 20 times as ranked teams, with the all-time series tied 10-10.
The Wolverines have won four of the last five ranked matchups.
After starting the season 14-0, Michigan’s only loss was followed by a 10-game winning streak, including five road victories and back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents — No. 5 Nebraska (75-72) and No. 7 Michigan State (83-71).
Michigan is the first Big Ten team in 15 years to reach a 24-1 record, matching Ohio State’s 2010-11 season.
It is also Michigan’s best 25-game start, surpassing the previous mark of 22-3 set five times, most recently in 2018-19.
The Wolverines’ 14-1 Big Ten record marks the best conference start in program history, topping the 13-2 starts by the 2020-21, 1984-85, and 1976-77 teams.
Michigan has recorded 10 or more Big Ten wins in 13 of the last 15 seasons and 39 times overall.
Michigan continues one of the most dominant seasons in program history, with 20 wins by 10 or more points, 13 by 20 or more, 10 by 30 or more, seven by 40 or more (a Big Ten record), and one by 50 or more.
The Wolverines’ 10 wins by 30 or more points through 25 games are the most by a major-conference team since Duke had 10 in 1998-99.
Dusty May
Dusty May addressed a viral video that has resurfaced, involving one of his talented players, ahead of a top-7 matchup against the Boilermakers at Mackey Arena.
Following their blowout victory over the UCLA Bruins on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, May said he had seen the viral video of forward Yaxel Lendeborg circulating ahead of his Monday press conference.
“I have social media. I follow social media, so I don’t have to say someone showed it to me to act like I don’t have it,” May said.
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May said he spoke at length with Lendeborg about the incident.
“The most disappointing part of it is that he feels really bad about how he’s perceived from children and those that look up to him,” May said.
He said Lendeborg told him, “Coach, I don’t even use that language in conversation. I don’t like the way it makes me look. I feel terrible about it.”
May explained that the video is old, from around May 0f 2025, shortly after Lendeborg signed with Michigan.
“Obviously, the excitement of being here, of playing in these games, he’s at an establishment after hours, and they asked him a question about the No. 1 team in the country, and he said the things that he said,” May said.
In a resurfaced video, Lendeborg was at an after-hours establishment when he was asked about the No. 1 team in the country (last season), and he said things he now wishes he hadn’t, according to May.
In the video, Lendeborg says, “When we see Purdue, we are going to beat their f------ a--. F--- you, F--- Purdue, F--- people that like Purdue, ‘This is Michigan, m------------”
May emphasized that the incident was a learning lesson.
“One of the reasons he’s here is he wanted to learn to be a better pro. And to be a better pro, you need to have the mindset that you’re probably always being recorded,” May said.
May downplayed the video’s impact on the team’s focus.
“I can’t imagine that a (Fletcher) Loyer and TKR (Trey Kaufman-Renn) and Braden Smith and those guys are sitting around motivated by what Yaxel Lendeborg said in an over-21 establishment four months ago. I think they’re killers as is,” May said.
When asked whether the team had collectively addressed the video, May said Lendeborg has spoken extensively with his teammates.
“I just met with one of the other guys. We talked about it. He’s talked to his team extensively. I’m sure it’ll be brought up,” May said.
May added that the team is focused on bigger priorities.
“We’re not going to cancel our travel plans and go to the day of the game so we can. I think there’s a lot bigger things to be worried about,” May said.
May concluded, “He made a mistake. This is a learning lesson. We can’t go back in time and change it. I think there’s a lot of people in our profession saying things that they’re in a clear-headed state of mind probably wouldn’t say. Chalk this up to one of those. He’s a wonderful human being. He’ll be better because of this. And on to the next.”