Dusty May Says This is What Helped Michigan Basketball Make History

Last night, the No. 3 Michigan Wolverine men’s basketball squad made history following its 71-68 victory over Iowa.

With the win, the Wolverines finish the regular season a perfect 11-0 in true road games, with their only losses coming to Wisconsin at home and Duke on a neutral floor. It marked the first time in program history that the Maize and Blue have gone undefeated on the road and the first time a team in the Big Ten has done so since Indiana (1975-76).

Aday Mara posts up against Iowa. — Mar 5, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) controls the ball as Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cam Manyawu (3) defends during the second half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

In the postgame press conference, head coach Dusty May was asked what accomplishing this milestone says about his team.

“It shows that they are connected and that they have each other’s backs,” May said. “You don’t go into the environments that we have gone into this year and win if you don’t have great poise, you don’t have great togetherness and you are able to have great emotional regulation… To be able to get yourself back to neutral and centered is a skill that our guys have improved on greatly and they continue to.”

The Wolverines were close to falling short last night, as the Hawkeyes tied the game up with 52 seconds remaining. But key defensive stops, in particular from Roddy Gayle Jr., helped seal the win for UofM.

“In my mind, it was three key defensive plays,” May said were the key to pulling the game out. “He (Gayle Jr.) had the block, then he came up with the loose ball. Our guys, they just stay ready. Different guys step up every night.”

On the season, looking at the Wolverines' road games as a whole, Michigan had two top-10 wins on the road. First, taking down No. 7 Michigan State by 12 (83-71) in East Lansing. Then last week, UofM took down No. 10 Illinois to clinch the regular season Big Ten Title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.

Yaxel Lendeborg shoots a three. — Feb 24, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) shoots against Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Langston Reynolds (6) in the first half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Looking ahead, the Wolverines will close out the regular season with a home battle and rematch with No. 8 Michigan State at 4:30 p.m.

After that, Michigan will head to the Big Ten Tournament as the top seed, then eventually the NCAA Tournament, in which UofM has a high chance of also securing a No. 1 seed. In March, Michigan’s road warrior culture should pay dividends, potentially making a run in March Madness.