The Michigan Wolverines took down the UConn Huskies, 69-63, in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday night, securing the second national championship in school history and first since 1989.
It was a truly historic campaign for the Wolverines but where does it rank among the program’s best seasons? Here’s our ranking of the 10 best seasons in Michigan history.
1. 2025-26
It simply doesn’t get any better than this season. Michigan shattered a school-record with 37 overall wins and a conference-record of 19
wins, The Wolverines became the first Big Ten team to go unbeaten on the road since 1976 and the first team ever to score 90+ points in five NCAA Tournament games. Dusty May’s team didn’t just win, they dominated most of the season and will go down as the best team in the history of Michigan basketball.
2. 1988-89
Prior to this current season, the 1989 team was unrivaled in Michigan basketball lore. The Wolverines went 30-7 en route to winning the national title for the first time in school history behind Big Ten Player of the Year Glen Rice, who went on the NCAA Tournament’s greatest run by scoring a record-setting 184 points. In addition to Rice, Michigan was led by Rumeal Robinson, Loy Vaught and Terry Mills on the way to beating No. 1 seed Illinois, 83-81, in the Final Four and No. 4 seed Seton Hall, 80-79, in the final.
3. 1992-93
Despite coming up just short in the National Championship, Michigan was a legitimate contender for two years with the Fab Five. Fueled by consensus All-American Chris Webber’s 19.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, Michigan went 31-5, including wins over No. 2 Kansas and No. 5 North Carolina in the regular season. The Wolverines beat No. 1 seed Kentucky in the Final Four before falling to No. 1 seed North Carolina, 77-71, in the National Championship after Webber’s infamous timeout.
4. 2012-13
After more than a decade of suffering, Michigan returned to national prominence in 2013. The Wolverines reached the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll and went 31-8 as Trey Burke became the first Michigan player to sweep the National Player of the Year awards on the way to reaching the Final Four for the first time in 20 years. Burke’s unforgettable last-second shot in a Sweet Sixteen win over No. 1 seed Kansas was the highlight of the season, but the Wolverines later lost to No. 1 seed Louisville in the National Championship.
5. 1991-92
The first year with the Fab Five wasn’t as successful in the regular season, but a win over No. 2 Indiana in early March built some momentum entering the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines kept that going, getting all the way to the National Championship by defeating No. 1 seed Ohio State in the Elite Eight and No. 4 seed Cincinnati in the Final Four before losing to No. 1 seed Duke. Jalen Rose led the team in scoring with 17.6 points per game as Michigan finished the season 25-9 overall and 11-7 in the Big Ten.
6. 1964-65
Following a loss to Duke in the Final Four in 1964, the Wolverines got revenge on the No. 5 Blue Devils the next year and turned that into a run to the National Championship behind consensus All-Americans Cazzie Russell (25.7 points per game) and Bill Buntin. Unfortunately, Michigan ran into a budding dynasty and lost 91-80 to No. 2 seed UCLA in the final. The Wolverines finished the season 24-4 overall ith a 13-1 record in Big Ten play, winning the conference regular season crown for a second straight year.
7. 2017-18
Even though the Wolverines didn’t exactly have title expectations entering 2018, but they grew into one of the best Michigan teams in recent memory. Michigan used wins over No. 4 Michigan State and No. 8 Ohio State to propel them into March. After winning the Big Ten Tournament for a second straight year, the Wolverines rode that momentum to a National Championship appearance — highlighted by Jordan Poole’s buzzer-beater in the second round — before falling to No. 1 seed Villanova.
8. 1975-76
Just over a decade after reaching the Final Four for the first time, Michigan returned to college basketball’s biggest stage in 1976. The Wolverines were among the best teams in the country throughout the season, going 25-7 and 14-4 in the Big Ten, but it was a tall task to take down unbeaten and No. 1 seed Indiana. Michigan nearly upset Indiana in February before falling to the Hoosiers, 86-68, in the final. The Wolverines beat No. 1 seed Rutgers in the Final Four but just couldn’t get it done against Indiana.
9. 2020-21
Led by All-Big Ten duo Franz Wagner and Hunter Dickinson, the Wolverines were legitimate title contenders in 2021, going 23-5 overall and 14-3 in Big Ten play en route to the regular season crown and earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan defeated No. 4 seed Florida State in the Sweet Sixteen, but the run came to an end there due to an upset to No. 11 seed UCLA in the Elite Eight. The Wolverines finished the season as the third-best team on KenPom.
10. 2013-14
A year after losing in the National Championship, the Wolverines didn’t have Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. anymore, but Nik Stauskas emerged as Big Ten Player of the Year. Michigan swept rival Michigan State in the regular season, finishing 28-9 overall and 15-3 in the Big Ten, before falling to the Spartans in the Big Ten Tournament Championship. The Wolverines reached the Elite Eight before loosing to No. 8 seed Kentucky on a game-winning shot, coming up just short of a second straight trip to the Final Four.
