Michigan Basketball Proving It Has the DNA of a Contender
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - If this past week was a litmus test for Michigan’s championship mettle, the Wolverines didn’t just pass - they made a statement.
Facing two top-10 opponents in a five-day stretch - No. 5 Nebraska at home and No.
7 Michigan State on the road - the No. 3 Wolverines showed exactly why they're sitting atop the Big Ten at 10-1 and boasting a 20-1 overall record.
These weren’t just wins; they were gut-check victories that revealed the kind of poise, depth, and defensive tenacity that separates good teams from great ones come March.
Michigan rallied from an 11-point deficit to edge Nebraska, 75-72, then turned around and outlasted Michigan State, 83-71, in a game that saw them surrender an 18-point lead before flipping the switch again late. That ability to stay composed - to not panic when things get tight - is what head coach Dusty May calls “winning DNA.”
“I do believe in winning DNA. Without a doubt,” May said after the Nebraska win. And it’s hard to argue with him.
This team doesn’t rattle. Down seven with under nine minutes left against the Cornhuskers?
They closed the game on a 16-6 run. Let an 18-point lead slip away in East Lansing?
No problem - they responded with a dominant 28-12 finish to take full control.
It starts on the defensive end. Michigan has been suffocating this season, ranking in the top five nationally across several defensive metrics.
They’re versatile, switchable, and physical - able to lock down the paint while still contesting everything on the perimeter. That defensive backbone gives them a chance in every game, no matter the situation.
But defense alone doesn’t win in March. Depth matters, too - and Michigan has it in spades.
May can confidently go nine deep, which means fresher legs late in games and more matchup flexibility. That depth showed up in both wins this week, as the Wolverines wore down two of the Big Ten’s best.
And then there’s the free-throw shooting - a detail that often gets overlooked until it’s the difference between moving on or going home in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan hit 23-of-26 from the line against Michigan State and 19-of-23 against Nebraska. That’s 42-of-49 across two high-stakes games - an 85.7% clip from a team that averages 73% on the season.
“Credit our guys,” May told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt. “They made all the big free throws down the stretch.”
Five Wolverines are shooting over 80% from the stripe: Will Tschetter (.897), Trey McKenney (.882), Yaxel Lendeborg (.849), Nimari Burnett (.813), and Morez Johnson Jr. (.802). Point guard Elliot Cadeau (.690) is close, and even center Aday Mara - once a liability at the line - has quietly improved, hitting over 55% in his last eight games.
And when it comes to closing time, Michigan doesn’t just have one go-to guy - they’ve got five.
When former head coach John Beilein - the winningest coach in program history - was asked if this team has a closer like 2013 National Player of the Year Trey Burke, he smiled and said, “They have five go-to players.”
He didn’t name them, but based on performance, the candidates are clear: Lendeborg, McKenney, Cadeau, Johnson, and Mara. Lendeborg was a force against Michigan State, posting 26 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks. Cadeau added 17 points, six assists, and just two turnovers - a calm, controlled floor game that belied his youth.
Through five games against ranked opponents - Auburn, Gonzaga, USC, Nebraska, and Michigan State - the Wolverines have won by an average of 23 points. Only Nebraska kept it close, losing by three.
Everyone else? Double-digit defeats.
That kind of dominance against top-tier competition puts this team in rare company. Michigan’s 20-1 start matches the best 21-game stretch in program history, tying the 2012-13 squad that reached the national title game and the 2018-19 team that made the Sweet 16. And while comparisons are fun, this current group is carving out its own identity.
When Van Pelt asked May about the postgame celebration after knocking off Tom Izzo’s Spartans - on Izzo’s 71st birthday, no less - the coach called it “mild.”
“I do think our guys expected to win,” May said, noting that his team doesn’t get “too high or too low.”
That emotional steadiness has been a hallmark of the Wolverines all season long. With the exception of a Jan. 10 loss to Wisconsin, they’ve stayed locked in - never too flashy, never too frazzled.
May’s message is simple: “Control the controllables.” It’s a phrase that gets tossed around a lot in sports, but Michigan is actually living it. Possession by possession, play by play, this team keeps its head down and goes to work.
And it’s working.
So yes, Wolverine fans - savor this group. There’s still a long road ahead, but all the ingredients are there: elite defense, veteran composure, clutch free-throw shooting, and a roster full of players who can take over when the game’s on the line.
This team isn’t just built to make a run - it’s built to finish one.