Michigan’s 83-71 win over rival Michigan State this past weekend was more than just a statement victory - it was a test of toughness, composure, and, according to head coach Dusty May, restraint.
The game had all the intensity you'd expect from a Big Ten rivalry, but May didn’t mince words afterward. He called out what he saw as a dangerous level of physicality from the Spartans, particularly zeroing in on a moment involving Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. In a sequence that’s been making the rounds on film, Fears appeared to intentionally trip Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg - a move that didn’t sit well with May.
“I think there were several plays that were very dangerous,” May said on Monday. “I’m incredibly proud of our guys for the responses they had to those situations.”
When pressed about the Fears-Lendeborg incident, May pushed back on the idea that it merely appeared to be a trip. “Appeared?”
he asked pointedly, before referencing the full 40 minutes of game film as evidence. “It’s not hard to find.”
That fire from May comes in the context of a high-stakes season for the Wolverines. In his first year at the helm, he’s not only trying to steady a program that stumbled through last year’s conference grind - he’s trying to change the culture. And Saturday’s win, chippy as it was, served as a bit of a measuring stick.
“I think we proved we can still win in different ways,” May said. “You’re challenged for every inch of the court.
Last year’s team didn’t respond well at this point of the season. We addressed that through recruiting, and our guys stepped up.”
That’s the kind of growth you want to see from a team with serious aspirations. Michigan is currently sitting at No. 2 in the AP Top 25, trailing only unbeaten Arizona. Michigan State, meanwhile, holds the No. 10 spot - a testament to their talent, even if their approach drew criticism this time around.
The rematch is already circled on the calendar: March 8 at Crisler Center. Expect the atmosphere to be electric, the stakes even higher, and both teams with something to prove - not just on the scoreboard, but in how they handle the heat of one of college basketball’s fiercest rivalries.