Coach Dusty May: Michigan Faces 'Monster Week' vs. Nebraska, Michigan State

There are challenging weeks on the college basketball schedule. Then, there's what No. 3 Michigan has on tap for next week: back-to-back matchups against No. 7 Nebraska (Jan. 27) and a road bout against No. 10 Michigan State (Jan. 30).

"We have a monster week coming up," May said after the Wolverines' 74-62 victory over Ohio State on Friday night. "Looking at the immediate future, Nebraska's one of the best teams in the country, so it's going to be a challenge to get ready for that one. They're playing at a high, high level.

"When you're getting ready to play Nebraska and Michigan State the following week, you don't have a lot of time to savor past performances, at least from my perspective."

Nebraska is 19-0 overall this season and sits atop the Big Ten at 8-0 in conference play. The Huskers have then-ranked wins over Illinois and Michigan State on their résumé. Meanwhile, MSU is 17-2 overall and 7-1 in Big Ten play, good for third in the conference. The Spartans have then-ranked wins over Arkansas, Kentucky and North Carolina.

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Regarding Michigan, it out-rebounded Ohio State 35-20 and shot a combined 51.9% from the field on Friday night, with four players scoring in double-figures: Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., Trey McKenney and Aday Mara.

The win moved the Wolverines to 18-1 overall and 8-1 in Big Ten play, good for second in the conference; they have then-ranked wins over Auburn, Gonzaga and USC. Michigan is first in the Big Ten in points (91.7 per game), field goal percentage (51.7%), total rebounds (42.3 per game) and opponent field goal percentage (36.5%).

May, who previously had a six-year stint as the head coach of FAU — a period highlighted by two NCAA Tournament appearances and reaching the Final Four in the 2022-23 season — is in his second season at the helm for Michigan, with the Wolverines a combined 45-11 since he took over. Last season, Michigan reached the Sweet 16.

As for individual standouts, Lendeborg is averaging a team-high 14.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game; Johnson is averaging 13.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, while shooting a Big Ten-high 67.4% from the field; Mara is averaging 10.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and a Big Ten-high 2.6 blocks per game; Elliot Cadeau is averaging 10.5 points and five assists per game, while shooting 44.9/41.1/68.6; Nimari Burnett is averaging 8.9 points in 20.0 minutes per game, while shooting 49.1/40.0/82.8.

Michigan's in-state tilt against Michigan State is on Friday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app.

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