What Michigan head coach Dusty May said after narrow win over Wisconsin
Michigan head coach Dusty May addressed the media following the Wolverines’ 67-64 win over Wisconsin on Tuesday.
May, who took over the Wolverines’ head coaching responsibility this spring after Juwan Howard was fired, secured his first career Big Ten win as Michigan’s head coach vs. the Badgers. He previously coached at Florida Atlantic — and took the Owls to the Final Four in 2022-23 in his fifth season at the helm
To steal the victory over Wisconsin, May turned to his two-headed attack of big men Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin. Wolf, who finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and a team-best five assists, primarily orchestrated the Wolverines’ offense in the fourth quarter.
“He really is a guard in a 7-footer’s body,” May said. “The way he dribbles, the way he shoots it, the way he can create space. As the games have boiled down, we’re trying to figure out what’s our best plan of attack in the half court. That, in a small sample size, had been a really efficient attack for us. So we started trying to get everyone more aware of it… Danny wasn’t trying to hit home runs, he was just making the right play… he created the advantage.”
Goldin also played a monumental role. The 7-footer scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half, including the final six points for Michigan.
“I think he picks his spots really well,” May said of Goldin. “Obviously he’s so big and strong around the rim. Offensively, when you have the hands that he has and you’re such a big target, we’ve got to find ways to continue to get him the ball. He played at a very efficient rate, and I think he had a few that didn’t drop that we expect to go in moving forward.”
In preparation for the Badgers, May focused on Wisconsin wings John Blackwell and John Tonje. The two account for more than 37 points per appearance for UW and generate countless opportunities at the free throw line.
By keeping the two from exploding offensively, the Badgers turned to others to create from deep. Greg Gard’s seven other rotational pieces went a combined 3-21 from deep in the loss.
“Blackwell and Tonje, they shoot the three off the bounce, off the catch, they get downhill and when you reach, they make you pay,” May said. “I thought they both found different ways to impact the game. We took a calculated risk to plug a bit more off the big guys, and they didn’t knock them down tonight. Also, because we were going at them a little bit defensively, maybe they didn’t have quite the legs. I’m not sure. Our game plan was to keep those two off the free throw line and try to limit their three-point shots.”
Michigan now moves to 7-1 on the season and will likely wind up in the next installation of the AP Poll. Wisconsin, meanwhile, falls to 8-1. It is back in action on Saturday against No. 5 Marquette.
Michigan big men Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf mostly dominated Wisconsin centers Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter throughout the contest. The two Wolverines combined for 44 of Michigan’s 67 points, corralled 12 total rebounds and blocked eight shot attempts.
Crowl and Winter, meanwhile, scored just 10 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked one shot attempt.
Gard addressed Michigan’s paint dominance with the media following the loss.
“It was Goldin and Wolf at the rim,” Gard said. “Goldin went seven for nine, and Wolf goes four for six, so it’s at the rim. We didn’t do a good job of handling that. We still ended up with them under a point per possession. They had 67 points on 70 possessions, so even with that, we were able to negate most of their three’s and make them have to go for two’s. They did a good job of taking advantage of that. Goldin’s a load, and they did a good job of putting those two guys in the middle of the floor and playing off it.”
A bulk of the damage arrived when both Goldin and Wolf switched on to Wisconsin’s smaller guards. That created an offensive advantage, specifically in the game’s waning minutes.
“When they did the big-big pick and roll, we didn’t get under and jam the roller well enough,” Gard said. “When you’ve got a 7-footer who can handle the ball and throw it up top, you have to prevent the roll coming down hill.”
UW’s 22.2% clip from deep didn’t help either. Wisconsin made just three of 16 three-point attempts in the second half which ultimately limited the variety of offensive looks the Badgers received in the closing frame.
“We need to knock down some threes so we can spread the ball a bit more,” Gard said. “When we can spread the floor a bit more, we can attack gaps and that allows us to get to the free throw line more. I thought we had good looks. I didn’t think they were all great, but typically we’re going to shoot 25 to 30 a game. You’ve got to hit at a clip that’s better than six for 27.”
Veteran guard Max Klesmit struggled mightily from that range. He ended with eight points off 3-of-14 from the field and 1-of-9 from long range. He missed multiple looks down the stretch and is now shooting 25.4% from deep this season.
“Max has made those shots before,” Gard said. “He’s in a slump right now, and we’ve got to help him get out of it. The one before that, the one of the backboard, it’s not what we wanted at that point… But the 22-second one, we ran that and got as good a look as you’re going to get.”
Next, Wisconsin will travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for an in-state showdown against No. 5 Marquette on Dec. 7.
Wisconsin basketball dips in KenPom, ESPN BPI after loss to Michigan
Wisconsin basketball fell to 8-1 on the season with a 67-64 loss to Michigan on Tuesday.
The score seesawed for virtually the entire contest until Michigan center Vladislav Goldin orchestrated an individual scoring spurt late to put the Wolverines up for good. Michigan’s big men — Goldin and forward Danny Wolf — combined for 44 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks in the victory.
Two of Wisconsin’s primary contributors — center Steven Crowl and guard Max Klesmit — struggled mightily against the Wolverines. The two shot a combined 1-of-11 from the field and could not find a rhythm throughout the entire contest.
UW’s loss to Michigan is nowhere near an indictment the team and its quality. The Wolverines land at No. 17 in KenPom (No. 42 offense, No. 5 defense) and No. 32 in the ESPN BPI following the triumph — they could be among the best in the Big Ten.
Still, Wisconsin dipped a few spots in both rating metrics after the loss.
Greg Gard’s squad is now ranked No. 33 in KenPom (No. 25 offense, No. 56 defense) and No. 35 in the ESPN BPI. Following their win over Chicago State on Saturday, the Badgers were ranked No, 29 in KenPom and No. 31 in ESPN BPI.
Wisconsin’s next game could further dampen their positions in these ratings metrics. The Badgers are set to square off against No. 5 Marquette in Milwaukee on Dec. 7. The game will serve as a true indicator of what this team is capable of against true juggernauts in the sport.
New Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May promised early results and, boy, is he already delivering.
Right out of the gates, the Wolverines looked like a new team and one that can contend with anyone. But with Michigan losing in the second game to Wake Forest in Greensboro, there was some question as to whether or not this thing could really take off.
However, since then, Michigan destroyed teams in the Fort Myers Tip-Off, including Xavier, en route to a 6-1 record. But Tuesday night saw a different battle — playing on the road against a ranked Big Ten team. And that team being a pesky Wisconsin squad at the Kohl Center.
The Badgers looked better than the maize and blue in the early going, taking a commanding lead as Michigan started 2-of-14 from 3. But Michigan basketball fought back, with Vlad Goldin dominating in the middle. To start the second half, the Wolverines went on a run and erased the six-point halftime deficit.
But the two teams traded blows until late in the game, when the Wolverines took a three-point lead. And they managed to hold on to beat No. 11 Wisconsin, 67-64.
Here are the team leaders:
Player
FG
3PT
REB
AST
STL
BLK
TO
PTS
Vladislav Goldin
9-16
0-1
5
1
1
3
2
24
Danny Wolf
7-11
2-4
7
5
3
5
1
20
Roddy Gayle Jr.
3-6
1-2
6
5
1
1
2
9
Nimari Burnett
2-7
2-6
7
1
1
2
1
8
Will Tschetter
2-4
1-3
2
0
0
0
0
5
Rubin Jones
0-2
0-2
2
1
1
1
0
1
Tre Donaldson
0-7
0-3
7
3
0
0
2
0
Sam Walters
0-3
0-3
1
0
0
0
0
0
LJ Cason
0-3
0-1
2
0
0
0
2
0
Up next, Michigan basketball hosts Iowa at Crisler Center on Saturday at 2 p.m. EST.
Wisconsin basketball to debut ‘By the Players’ uniforms vs. Michigan
This story was updated to correct a misspelling/typo.
The Wisconsin Badgers will debut their 2024-25 ‘By the Players’ alternate uniforms on Tuesday vs. Michigan.
For the fifth straight season, UW’s players collaborated with Under Armour to produce a unique uniform that will be featured several times throughout the 2024-25 slate. That tradition began in 2020 with jerseys designed by Brad Davison, Aleem Ford, Micah Potter and D’Mitrik Trice.
This season, veteran guards Wisconsin native Kamari McGee and Max Klesmit spearheaded the design effort. The jerseys feature Madison’s skyline above the players’ last names on their threads, a pair of enlarged Bucky Badgers on the shorts, and a red emblem of the state on the athletes’ waistbands.
The uniforms also include a black and red zig-zag design on each side of the torso. Similar to last season, the jerseys include a white background. The lettering, however, will be a red with a shade of black surrounding the edges.
Debuting a new look on Tuesday 🆕🔥
This season's "By the Players" alternate uniforms, in collaboration with @UAbasketball
Outside of looking distinct, the initiative also UW’s players to feel connected to the product. McGee and Klesmit’s involvement as senior Wisconsin natives also makes the jersey’s all the more special for a roster poised to make a postseason run this season.
UW’s game vs. the Wolverines will commence at 8:00 p.m. CT exclusively on Peacock.
Wisconsin basketball’s game against Michigan will only be available on one streaming platform
The Wisconsin Badgers (8-0, 0-0 Big Ten) will host the Michigan Wolverines (6-1, 0-0 Big Ten) on Tuesday evening. The game will begin the 2024-25 conference schedule for both schools after each has started strong against their respective nonconference slates.
Wisconsin’s first Big Ten game of the season brings a fresh reminder about how to watch college basketball in the modern age of the sport: the big game will only be available via streaming on Peacock.
The streaming-exclusive games are part of the Big Ten’s new television deal with Fox, CBS and NBC. Peacock, a property of the latter, has been the home for numerous football and basketball games over the past two years.
Wisconsin’s important home matchup against Michigan is the next in the long line of those matchups.
Debuting a new look on Tuesday 🆕🔥
This season's "By the Players" alternate uniforms, in collaboration with @UAbasketball
Wisconsin is 8-0 to begin the season and ranked No. 11 in the latest AP Poll entering Tuesday. Its resume already include wins over Arizona and No. 18 Pittsburgh. Michigan, meanwhile, is 6-1 to begin the season under first-year head coach Dusty May. It’s start is highlighted by a recent win at the Fort Myers Tip-Off, capped by a 78-53 victory over Xavier.
The Badgers and Wolverines will tip off at 9 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. CT. Again, a Peacock subscription is required to watch the contest.
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Outside of Ann Arbor, not many had faith that Michigan basketball would be among the best teams in the country, but a few weeks into the 2024-25 season, new head coach Dusty May has the Wolverines rolling. At 6-1 thus far, the maize and blue are getting better and better, up to No. 22 in Kenpom with the 38th-best offense and No. 10 defense.
Coaches around the country are taking notice, it appears. In the fifth iteration of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, the Michigan basketball team made its debut, coming in at No. 23. Other Big Ten teams ranked include Purdue at No. 7, Oregon at No. 10, Wisconsin at No. 11, Illinois at No. 17, and Michigan State at No. 25.
Dusty May has reeled in an impressive class. #GoBlue
The Michigan basketball season has just started but with the early signing period for the 2025 recruiting class coming to a close, Dusty May has officially signed his first class (the last class saw May bring LJ Cason and Justin Pippen into the fold, but there was a holdover from Juwan Howard’s class in Durral ‘Phat Phat’ Brooks).
The Wolverines brought in one five-star local product, a four-star from the West Coast, and an international product that has shined at the NBA Global Academy.
Though it will be just under a year before we get to see the three newly-signed prospects take the court for the Wolverines, there’s a lot of reason for excitement given what they bring to the table.
McKenney is a big-bodied scoring guard and unique backcourt match-up because of his very broad frame and massive 6-foot-9 wingspan. He plays with an aggressive scoring mentality and has an advanced understand of how to leverage his body type within his attack. He’s powerful, physical, crafty, has a great left-hand, and is also very adept at scoring over top of contesting defenders in the mid-range area.
While McKenney can have a high-volume approach, settle for too many tough-twos, and be turnover prone at times, he’s actually an underrated initiator when he’s allowed to play with the ball in his hands. He has clear potential playing out of ball-screens and some instinctive feel for the game to match his sheer power.
McKenney is an excellent free-throw shooter (92%), but doesn’t get there quite enough to take full advantage, especially given his body type. His shooting stroke isn’t quite as natural from long range, but he’s shown some clear progress and made 36% on just under 6 attempts per game in the EYBL.
Defensively, he’s typically willing to compete, but sometimes limited by a lack of lateral quickness. That footspeed is going to be tied to continuing to make strides with his conditioning, albeit without shrinking his frame too much, since that is such a critical part of his identity. McKenney is also an excellent rebounding guard.
Dusty May says…
“Trey embodies everything it means to be a Michigan Man,” said May. “He comes from a family of strong faith and high character. He has been taught how to play the game the right way and values competition. His versatility as a big, strong guard is going to be a tremendous asset to our program.”
Grady is a skilled, shot-making wing with good positional size and strength. He posted 19 points per game during the recent 3SSB season on 53/42/87 shooting splits, finishing in the league’s top ten in both scoring and efficiency (1.06 points per possession according to Synergy). What’s counterintuitive about those ultra-efficient numbers, is that Grady thrives in the mid-range area. He loves to score over top of contesting defenders from about 12-18 feet with some lift into a high release. He can create space off the dribble for those shots, go into the mid-post, or occasionally run off screens, but tends to play a little upright and doesn’t put a ton of pressure on the rim.
His release point changes a little bit from behind the arc, and becomes more of a lower set-shot with less lift, but he’s still a very efficient marksmen from downtown. He’s a hugely valuable floor-spacer when surrounded with more dynamic playmakers and also capable of making threes off the dribble.
In addition to his positional size and strength, Grady is ultra-competitive with a clear edge to him. He’s not the most naturally quick, bouncy, long, or flexible in his hips, but he’s a worker who competes on both ends of the floor. He’s going to be more versatile up the line-up than down, and is a solid wing rebounder. He’s also shown he’s capable of being consistently productive and impacting winning in a variety of roles, ranging from the offensive focal point we saw in the grassroots season to the valuable secondary piece we saw in high school.
Dusty May says…
“Winters is a flat-out competitor,” said May. “He is tailor-made for how we want to play at Michigan. His ability to shoot the ball is one of the reasons he’s an ideal fit. His versatility and physicality, on both the offense and defense end, will allow him to be a factor for us right away. The more we dug in and got to know him and his family, the more we realized that this a guy that we need to have in our program.”
F Oscar Goodman
ALTAN GOCHER/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images
Vitals
High school
NBA Global Academy (New Zealand)
Height
6-foot-7
Weight
230 pounds
Rankings
*
Ovr
Pos
St
247Sports Composite
4
76
17
1
On3 Industry Ranking
3
191
43
–
247Sports
4
86
21
1
On3
4
99
25
–
ESPN
–
–
–
–
Rivals
–
–
–
–
Via the official press release:
Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 86 overall recruit according to 247, Goodman hails from Opunake, New Zealand, where he played for the NBA Global Academy. Goodman had a breakout performance at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, averaging 17.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and three assists per game, earning honors on the tournament’s All-Star Five team.
An efficient scorer in the paint, Goodman shot 63.0 percent from around the rim at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, averaging over two made dunks per game as he helped lead New Zealand to a historic fourth-place finish.
Goodman has become a key piece of the New Zealand setup throughout his youth career. At the 2023 FIBA U16 Asian Championship, he was named tournament MVP while helping New Zealand secure a silver medal. The previous year, he led the U15 team to a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA U15 Oceania Championship, where he was the team’s top scorer and earned a spot on the all-tournament first team.
Dusty May says…
“Oscar arrives in Ann Arbor as an accomplished international player and prospect, who was just named to the New Zealand senior national team,” said May. “He comes from a tight-knit family that values everything that we want our program to be about. His training at the NBA Academy, as well as his eagerness and ability to compete, will allow him to affect our program positively from day one.”
Class rankings
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Overall
Though the rankings will certainly change with uncommitted prospects still available to sign in the later period, as of current, the Wolverines have the No. 11 class in the country, behind Duke, UConn, Kansas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Syracuse, SMU, and Alabama, per 247Sports.
Michigan basketball is set to avenge its loss to Wake Forest on Sunday with another Power Four matchup as TCU comes to Ann Arbor on Friday night.
The Wolverines basketball team will also look to avenge the football loss in the College Football Playoff in 2022, but this will be Dusty May’s turn to show that the now 1-1 maize and blue are heading in the right direction. And it appears as if Michigan will be fully healthy heading into the contest.
Here is the official injury report for Michigan ahead of the 6 p.m. EST tipoff against TCU.
Michigan injury report
Questionable
None
Out
None
In the first game, Rubin Jones and Justin Pippen were both unavailable, but Jones returned and put his stamp on the game early against Wake Forest in Greensboro. Now as the Wolverines look to get back into the win column, it will be all hands on deck against the 3-0 Horned Frogs.
The game will take place at Crisler Center and will be broadcast on FS1 at 6 p.m. EST.
It hasn’t taken long for first-year Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May to make a splash after coming aboard this offseason from Florida Atlantic.
May hit the transfer portal hard upon arriving and also managed to secure the 2024 class in short order, holding onto Durral ‘Phat Phat’ Brooks while also getting commitments from Justin Pippen and LJ Cason.
Now he’s turned his attention to the 2025 class and is making an even bigger splash.
On Saturday, May got a pledge from 2025 Flint (Mich.) St. Mary’s five-star combo guard Trey McKenney, a 6-foot-4, 225 pounder who was also considering Georgetown and USC. He’s the second commitment of the class.
He announced his decision live on 247Sports.
Here is how McKenney ranks according to the recruiting services:
McKenney is a big-bodied scoring guard and unique backcourt match-up because of his very broad frame and massive 6-foot-9 wingspan. He plays with an aggressive scoring mentality and has an advanced understand of how to leverage his body type within his attack. He’s powerful, physical, crafty, has a great left-hand, and is also very adept at scoring over top of contesting defenders in the mid-range area.
While McKenney can have a high-volume approach, settle for too many tough-twos, and be turnover prone at times, he’s actually an underrated initiator when he’s allowed to play with the ball in his hands. He has clear potential playing out of ball-screens and some instinctive feel for the game to match his sheer power.
McKenney is an excellent free-throw shooter (92%), but doesn’t get there quite enough to take full advantage, especially given his body type. His shooting stroke isn’t quite as natural from long range, but he’s shown some clear progress and made 36% on just under 6 attempts per game in the EYBL.
Defensively, he’s typically willing to compete, but sometimes limited by a lack of lateral quickness. That footspeed is going to be tied to continuing to make strides with his conditioning, albeit without shrinking his frame too much, since that is such a critical part of his identity. McKenney is also an excellent rebounding guard.
It will be interesting to see how quickly McKenney gets involved given how deep May’s team already appears to be after one game. But five-stars do tend to be ready to go early in their first season, and he can help the Wolverines get deeper and more talented.
