Even though the undefeated Michigan Wolverines are considered one of the nation’s premier programs and a legitimate national championship contender, head coach Dusty May believes they can bump things up a notch.
“We’re continuing to reinforce our pillars and daily habits, and work on getting better,” May told the media following Sunday’s win vs La Salle. “We’ve played well, but this team still has another gear we can shift into and take to a new level. There’s no doubt.”
The Wolverines have been truly dominant this season — leading the nation in defensive rating (87.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) and ranking fifth in offensive rating (125.5 points scored per 100 possessions) according to KenPom. Michigan has already won eight straight games by double digits, highlighted by wins over several of KenPom’s top-60 teams including No. 4 Gonzaga, No. 28 Villanova, No. 37 Auburn, No. 52 San Diego State, No. 56 TCU and No. 59 Wake Forest.
While averaging a Big Ten-best 95.4 points per game and surpassing the 100-point plateau in six games this season, the Wolverines have been generating quality shots at an elite level and appear to be seemingly unstoppable on offense.
“Our guys are in the gym, working on their shooting. When you put in consistent work, you’re rewarded,” May said. “We have really good shooters, but most importantly, we take good shots and work together to generate quality shots.”
With all that said, May thinks his team can still improve in several areas as Big Ten play resumes in less than two weeks. May recently pointed to rebounding and transition defense as areas his team can improve.
Despite such a great start to the season, Michigan is ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll. May said his team isn’t worried about being ranked behind No. 1 Arizona because all that matters is being the last team standing in April.
“All we can control is how we play. Anything that gives us a bit of an edge, we’ll take it, but we’re not concerned with (not being ranked No. 1),” he said. “If we’re No. 1 in April, we’ll be much more content than we are now.”
May’s comments about still having room to improve shows that Michigan isn’t fully satisfied. The expectation is not only to compete for championships, but to win the school’s first national title in more than three decades.
It’s hard to imagine the Wolverines playing even better than they have been, but May knows there are always things to get better at, which should frighten opponents. If this team truly has another gear, the Wolverines could be cutting down the nets this spring.
