It wasn’t pretty, and it sure wasn’t easy, but Michigan found a way.
In a top-five showdown that had all the makings of a midseason classic, No. 3 Michigan clawed its way to a gritty win over previously unbeaten No.
5 Nebraska on Tuesday night. The Wolverines trailed for most of the game, and the tension in Ann Arbor was real.
But when the moment called for it, Dusty May’s squad delivered.
This win wasn’t just about the final score-it was about resilience. Michigan didn’t have its A-game, and Nebraska made sure of that.
The Cornhuskers came in ready, physical, and fearless, even without key contributors Rienk Mast and Braden Frager. That’s no small detail.
Nebraska pushed one of the nation’s top teams to the brink without two of its most important players. If you’re a Michigan fan, that’s something you can’t ignore.
Still, credit where it’s due: Michigan made plays when it mattered most. Clutch shooting, timely defense, and a few critical adjustments down the stretch flipped the script. And while the Wolverines handed Nebraska its first loss of the season, the performance left plenty to unpack-especially for a team with national title aspirations.
Head coach Dusty May didn’t sugarcoat it. After the game, he pointed to a key freshman mistake that nearly shifted the momentum in Nebraska’s favor. It was a learning moment, and May knows those kinds of lapses can’t happen against elite competition-especially not in March.
Vegas took notice, too.
Before tipoff, Michigan sat at -110 to reach the Final Four, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. After the narrow win, those odds nudged to +115.
And their national championship line? That moved from +470 to +500.
It’s a subtle shift, but it reflects something bigger: oddsmakers saw a team that, while talented, showed some cracks under pressure.
But let’s not get carried away. One close game doesn’t define a season, and Michigan is still very much in the thick of the title hunt.
The Big Ten schedule is a grind, and these kinds of battles are part of the process. What matters is how the Wolverines respond-and they won’t have to wait long.
Next up: a trip to East Lansing for a rivalry clash with No. 7 Michigan State.
Tom Izzo will have his Spartans locked in, and the Breslin Center will be rocking. It’s the kind of environment that tests your poise, your depth, and your identity as a team.
If Michigan wants to prove it’s a true contender, this is the kind of game where that statement gets made.
For now, the Wolverines can breathe a little easier. They survived a scare, stayed unbeaten, and handed a top-five opponent its first loss.
But there’s no time to relax. The road ahead only gets tougher-and Michigan’s margin for error just got a little slimmer.