CBB Insider: Michigan is top challenger in Big Ten, has pieces to make the Final Four

Michigan had a great debut season under Dusty May at 27-10 while winning the Big Ten Tournament and returning to the Sweet 16. This second season, though, could be even better with the maize & blue possibly in contention for conference and national titles.

Jon Rothstein at CBS Sports previewed next season in the Big Ten on ‘Inside College Basketball Now’ on Monday. He had Purdue as the top team in the conference coming into next year but not far behind in second was Michigan.

“Right now, Michigan, to me, clearly looks like the top challenger to Purdue in the Big Ten,” said Rothstein. “There is a little bit of a seesaw effect for Dusty May entering a second season in Ann Arbor, and that’s because Michigan has really good retention and Michigan also did yeoman’s work in the transfer portal.”

“Michigan, to me, (is) the clear number two in the Big Ten behind Purdue,” Rothstein predicted.

The Wolverines did lose eight rotation players from a season ago, namely Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf to the NBA while five left in the transfer portal with the most significant being Tre Donaldson (Miami). However, in turn, Michigan replaced them with the No. 4 portal class per On3 with four commitments who were all in the Top-65 overall, including the No. 1 overall transfer, of On3’s 2025 Top Transfer Portal Players. They will now piece in next to four returners who played roles in that lineup.

“Michigan, if you remember, was a team last year that went to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament and lost to Auburn in the Sweet 16. Here is who is back for Michigan – Roddy Gayle, Nimari Burnett (as) two guys who played major, major roles on the perimeter. Will Tschetter, a valuable reserve. And also L.J. Cason, who I think could take a step forward this year in his second year,” said Rothstein.

“Now, what about what Dusty May did out of the transfer portal? Elliott Cadeau from North Carolina will replace Tre Donaldson at point guard. That solidifies the point guard spot for Michigan. We also have to like the influx of bigs for Michigan. Yaxel Lendeborg from UAB, Aday Mara from UCLA. And Morez Johnson from Illinois who was also a part of Team USA in Switzerland over the past couple of weeks. Looks like he got his body in great shape,” Rothstein continued. “I think you can make the case that the frontcourt rotation for Michigan, with Morez Johnson, Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Will Tschetter, is as deep and as formidable as any frontcourt there is in college basketball this season, or at least entering the season.”

With that, Michigan has one of the deeper, more talented rosters in all of college basketball next season. That should have them among the top-ranked teams going into tip-off this upcoming winter, with On3’s James Fletcher already having them in the Top-10.

That said, having already been in contention for both titles, having won the conference tournament, last season in the Big Ten, Rothstein is now expecting even more this year from the Wolverines. It may only be July but he sees them as a team that could be playing for a national championship in Indianapolis come next April.

“Michigan, to me, has the pieces in place for a run deep into the NCAA Tournament,” said Rothstein. “Michigan, to me, has the pieces in place to play for a chance to go to Lucas Oil Stadium and to the Final Four.”