Michigan Friday: Time To Play Better in The Windy City

Michigan has played a lot in Chicago in the last couple weeks.  If you count the Northwestern game, tonight is the 5th game for the Wolverines in Chicago since February 11th.

Michigan finally has had some time to rest as they have had almost a week off, with their last game early last Saturday.  Rest and Recovery is important and so is the extra time to prepare for an Alabama team that can score the basketball.   Michigan has struggled at bit on defense against teams that can shoot the 3 and strong on the offensive end.   Working for a week on covering the 3 point line, I hope was a focus for Dusty and his talented Wolverines.  I would love to see Michigan stay with the shooters and not collapse in the lane when a point guard drives.  I'm not a math guy, but I'm still pretty sure 3 is more then 2. 

Michigan will continue to need a great effort in the low post, while hitting a majority of their 3's.  I still tend to lean on the seniors and would love to see a smart effort from Gayle, Yax needs to be Yax, Burnett defending and hitting 3's, and Tschetter hitting 3's and getting boards. 

Lastly, from here on out, Michigan can not have a "sleepy" first half and needs to be locked in from the jump.   If Michigan can play their best basketball and focus in, I like our chances.  

• Someone woke up Warde and he says he wants Dusty to be Michigan's coach for a long time and will work with him on that goal.   A real leader would've understood that before premier jobs became available. 

• The Big Ten had a good night last night as Purdue beat Texas at the buzzer, Iowa beat Nebraska by 10, and Illinois beat Houston in Houston.  We hope those trends continue tonight with Michigan and MSU both hitting the floor. 

• From many of the players, it seems Coach Whitt is more like Harbaugh then the past two years have been.  That the weight room is much different in a positive way. 

Michigan Tuesday: Names Spring Captains

Michigan Football has much needed new leadership this year and they have new policy and procedures.  The newest procedure is naming Spring Captains, which makes sense as there are lots of new players on the roster from the portal, Utah, and true freshman. 

The 2026 Spring Captains are Rod Moore, Trey Pierce, Jordan Marshall and Bryce Underwood. There is also a leadership counsel made up of 15 players from each position group.

• There was a outstanding question on why there wasn't announcement about Marsh staying?  They were waiting for his birthday and we got it yesterday! 

• Sounds like Brian Jean-Mary is heading to ND at a LB coach.

• Dusty was at the Pistons Nets game to see Danny Wolf and Juwan Howard.

• Vlad got the gameball for the Heat last night!

• Gus Malzahn is retiring from coaching.

Wolverine Wednesday: The Dust Storm Continues

I hate to be a prisoner of the moment and aren't we all in the internet age.  LeBron is the best ever, Scottie is just as good as Tiger or Jack, and Skubal is better then Jack Morris and so on......

I'm incredibly impressed with Dusty May.  I watched him at FAU because my son went there and saw his style of play and how he developed a non-basketball school with barely a basketball program into a trip to the Final 4 and a basket away from the National Championship game.

The only other time recently I had this feeling was after Jimmy's first year when he turned the program around in one year with a great coaching staff and a transfer QB from Iowa.  I knew the program was finally in good hands after disasters from Rich Rod and Hoke.   It was bumpy road for a few years, but that feeling paid off with Big Ten Championships and a National Championship. 

Dusty took the Michigan job with nobody on the roster after the favored son Juwan Howard flamed out with anger issues and health problems.  He took this past season of misfit bigs to a Big Ten Tournament Championship and a trip to the NCAA.  That alone was impressive.  

He now understands he needs to do it again and maybe that is college basketball now.  Having to rebuild your roster every year.   He goes out gets a power forward from Illinois, a point guard from UNC, a big from UCLA, and the #1 player in the portal Yaxel Lendeborg from UAB.  

The issue is Yaxel is an NBA prospect but not a top tier prospect.  So he has to weigh transferring to Ann Arbor or get drafted and be at the end of an NBA Bench or the G-League.   Yesterday, he picked Ann Arbor and the Dust Storm.   Dusty does it again and now has a great roster lined up for next season.  He has youth that he recruited with experience he grabbed from the portal.  All of them are talented and if he can get the locker room and rotation right, they might be pretty good.  A dust storm is brewing!  

Time to get excited about this team and next season! 

The more you know.............

Wolverine Wednesday: Dusty Blows Through LA

It's not a secret to the regular readers of BHB what I think of Warde as the AD at Michigan.  I'm sure he is a nice guy but that guy would not be running a McDonalds for me.   That doesn't mean all his decisions are bad decisions.  He went out and got the best head basketball coach in the country in my mind in Dusty May.  As you know, my son attended FAU and graduated a year ago.  He got to watch Dusty work every winter on turning a nothing basketball program into a Final 4 school.  The man can flat out coach and develop talent.  Well done Warde.  

Dusty promised a competitive team and that is what we got.  Michigan just went out to LA for little under a week to play both USC and UCLA on the road.  He beat them both.  Last night Vlad went for 36 point in what turned out to be a blowout win over UCLA. The Bruins were ranked #20 and had the 4th best defense in the country.   I wondered when a Michigan player had scored so many points, the answer is 2006 when Daniel Horton went for 39 against Illinois.   It's a good day when you get a Daniel Horton reference on the blog!  

If Michigan can protect leads and stop turning the ball over, they will be in great shape for the rest of the Big Ten season and March Madness. 

Pretty special game with Jalen Rose on the call! 

• Mick Cronin calls his team soft after the Michigan loss and said he is toughest person in practice.  I don't know his team but I would say this is 100% accurate. 

• Michigan has offered New Mexico State 6'8 OT Shiyazh Pete from the portal

• A year ago today, Michigan was crowned National Champions! One of the best days of my life! 

Wolverine Wednesday: Is Dusty Done Adding to the Roster?

BVMSports.com

Michigan Basketball has one scholarship left for next season.  Many times, this late in the recruiting cycle a remaining scholarship goes to a walk-on.   Dusty is still working the portal and trying to improve his roster and outlook on the 23/24 season.  

Michigan is expected to host this week Jamir Watkins from Florida State, who recently removed his name from the NBA Draft.  Watkins averaged 15.6 points per game and is rated as the 10th overall prospect in the portal.   Watkins started his college career at VCU before moving to FSU last season. 

Jamir is 6'7 and 210 pound Wing that has the ability to play multiple positions on the floor for the Wolverines.   His scoring, defense, and experience would be a huge plus for the Wolverines. 

Yes Please! 

Jamir is also planning on visiting St. Johns.   His hometown is Trenton, NJ which of course is closer to St. Johns then Michigan. 

Michigan Monday: May Day in March

When it was clear Juwan was heading out of the program, I said Warde should make two phone calls.  #1 is to Jay Wright and #2 to Dusty May.  I don't' know if Jay was ever in play but many insiders have said, he has no interest in today's NIL world.  Which would make FAU's Dusty May, mine and Warde's #1 pick.  

Warde quickly pulled the trigger and got Dusty a day after FAU lost in the tournament. I'm uniquely qualified to discuss Dusty.  My son just graduated from FAU and he and my wallet went to the Final 4 last year.   So I've watched more then my fair share of Owl Basketball.  

Dusty came from Florida where he was a long time assistant for Mike White.  Dusty built the FAU Basketball Program from nothing.  FAU was built on football with a line of famous football coaches including Lane Kiffin and now Tom Herman.  Football has had limited success but Basketball made it to the Final 4 last year and lost by a basket from making it to the National Championship.  To give this perspective, FAU plays their home games in a basically a Gym not an Arena.  FAU has a football stadium that hosts a bowl game.  

Dusty built his program by finding gems in the portal.  I used to joke with my son, he found these guys in a local YMCA.  He runs an offense that has ties to European Basketball that can confuse an opponent with talented players.   As you might imagine, Dusty did not bring these kids in with huge NIL checks.  

I've seen comparisons online that Dusty is a young John Beilein and I agree 100%.  His is an offensive coach and I hope he brings in a great DC.   He is a great face of the program and I hope is in Ann Arbor for a long time.   Louisville thought they had him on Saturday night, but Warde and Coach B convinced him to come to Ann Arbor.  OSU was interested before hiring its interim coach and Vandy was also involved.   Dusty was clearly the top guy that was available right now.  

I've been very critical of Warde for many reasons but he did an excellent job here and even passed on getting his buddy Ed Cooley another raise.   Dusty will have his hands full in this job, he has to save the signed recruiting class, bring in a new staff, and hit the portal hard.   I hope he has a ton of success in all areas. 

• Dusty signed a $3.75M a year - 5 year contract 

• JJ was sharp at Michigan's Pro Day.  It was interesting they were showcasing Blake's downfield WR skills. 

• Michigan Women's Basketball and Michigan Hockey both had tough results on Saturday. 

• Class move for Juwan to attend the Women's NCAA game 

• Karmello English who was true freshman last season and caught 1 ball for 1 TD.  Is jumping into the portal in April and no longer with the team.  With the lack of depth in the WR room, this is a curious decision in my opinion.  I would assume there are other issues here at play other then playing time.