Michigan basketball back in AP top 25 amid three-game winning streak
Michigan Wolverines basketball is back in the Associated Press top 25 for the third week this season, checking in at No. 24. The Maize and Blue were No. 14 Dec. 9 and No. 24 Dec. 16 but fell out of the rankings following a loss to Oklahoma. They’re No. 24 in the coaches poll.
Following consecutive losses to Arkansas and Oklahoma, Michigan got back in the win column against Purdue Fort Wayne Dec. 22 (89-58) and is now on a three-game winning streak. The Wolverines have beaten Western Kentucky (112-64) and USC (85-74) since, and have a big game coming up Tuesday night at No. 22 UCLA.
Michigan and Michigan State are the only two Big Ten teams with unblemished conference records at this point, both teams atop the standings at 3-0.
First-year head coach Dusty May hasn’t seen his group beat any teams that are currently ranked inside the top 25. The Wolverines have opportunities to add to that total coming up, though, with five future opponents that are ranked: No. 13 Illinois (March 2), No. 15 Oregon (Feb. 5), No. 16 Michigan State (Feb. 21, March 9), No. 20 Purdue (Jan. 24, Feb. 11) and No. 22 UCLA (Jan. 7). The Wolverines did lose to Oklahoma, which checks in No. 17 this week.
Michigan stayed in Los Angeles between its win over USC and Tuesday night’s clash at UCLA.
The Wolverines are back in the thick of Big Ten play. After finishing last in the conference standings last season, the Wolverines are considered a top contender under May this year. Winning the regular-season title is extremely important to May and Co., too.
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“Without a doubt: The Big Ten regular season championship is extremely important,” the Michigan coach said. “Going back to the [late Indiana head] Coach [Bob] Knight in me, that’s what he stressed the most.
“You go through a three-month season, and when you look at the mental fortitude and the physical health that goes into being good that long, it’s extremely demanding, it’s tough,” May explained. “Obviously, it’s nice to win three games in three days or four in four and win the conference tournament. But if you can go through the grind of the regular-season championship, I think if you go out on the road recruiting or if you see other coaches, you give them a tip of the cap if they were able to go through a conference season, because it’s a big, big difference to finish first and second or third or fourth in a league.
“It’s daunting to win a conference regular-season championship, especially now with the number of games, with the amount of travel, with the logistics that come with television and whatnot. So, yeah, to make a long statement short, it’s extremely important that we’re competing for a Big Ten regular season championship.”
College basketball AP poll: Michigan ranked No. 24
1. Tennessee (14-0)
2. Auburn (13-1)
3. Iowa State (12-1)
4. Duke (12-2)
5. Alabama (12-2)
6. Kentucky (12-2)
7. Marquette (13-2)
8. Florida (13-1)
9. Connecticut (12-3)
10. Texas A&M (12-2)
11. Kansas (10-3)
12. Houston (10-3)
13. Illinois (11-3)
14. Mississippi State (13-1)
15. Oregon (13-2)
16. Michigan State (12-2)
17. Oklahoma (13-1)
18. Gonzaga (12-4)
19. Memphis (12-3)
20. Purdue (11-4)
21. West Virginia (11-2)
22. UCLA (11-3)
23. Ole Miss (12-2)
24. Michigan (11-3)
25. Utah State (14-1)