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Dusty May believes college basketball is better when Michigan and Michigan State are good

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•01/14/25•

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Dusty May knows how college basketball rocks when Michigan and Michigan State are competing for the top of the Big Ten.

As it stands, Michigan is ranked No. 20, is 13-3 and 5-0 in the conference. The Spartans are No. 12 in the country, 14-2 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten.

So it seems like it’ll be quite the race for the top of the Big Ten, per May. But as the Wolverines’ coach pointed out, Tom Izzo’s team isn’t on the schedule til February.

“We keep an eye on every one of the Big Ten,” May said. “Obviously, we bump into them, and … we hear about them a lot, and they’re obviously playing at a high, high level right now. So we’re going to hear about them more. We think it’s better for college basketball when we’re both sitting at the top of the standings, and as long as we’re up there, we don’t really care where the Spartans are. But I think it adds more interest to the game. It’s good for the state of basketball in Michigan. 

“It’s good for the young players to come to games where there’s such an environment. So all those things are healthy, but me personally, I think (to think) about Michigan State right now we have so many games that we have to focus on. Minnesota, and then turn the page to Northwestern and then turn the page to Purdue after that. But all focus is on Minnesota right now.”

May and Michigan are in the midst of a five-game winning streak, which included conference wins over USC, UCLA and Washington.

Minnesota is next up on Thursday on the road before a Sunday tilt against Northwestern back in Ann Arbor.

May is in the middle of his first season as head coach of Michigan following six seasons with Florida Atlantic.

He went 126-69 with the Owls, including a magic Final Four run in 2023. FAU was bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season. 

Many figured May would make an instant impact, but Michigan needed a rebuild. It turns out, the Wolverines are a top 20 team and a Big Ten title contender.

They just might have to get through the Spartans to claim the crown.