Dusty May’s Monday press conference

What I really liked is I thought we played poorly on both sides of the ball and we were able to score 98 points. I do think the one positive, we spent a lot of time this summer on driving through contact, driving with physicality. So I thought there was some good carryover getting to the free throw line and those confrontational drives.

I thought we were very average on the glass. We didn't compete at the level we needed to. But credit Cincinnati. I thought they were extremely physical.

They were determined. They really wanted to beat us. And, you know, we definitely are in a better place now than we were before that game in relation to winning real basketball games.

Um, yeah, he had cramps, and so we— it was kind of like, you know, let's, let's leave a man with cramps to try to win the game, or let's take him out and play the long game. And so we just, we took him out. And, um, you know, he, he competed at a high level, but that's, that's the crazy thing about Yaxel. As cumulative as a staff, we didn't feel like he played very well, and he had 31 and 12.

Um, that shows his ability and how capable he is. Um, but man, he's, he's, he's a unique talent. Um, and then the other two, I think we're getting close. You know, I don't want to speak for the medical staff, but it feels like it's, it's getting much, much closer.

Yeah, I mean, Trey, Trey, like Winters, he puts a lot into this game. So I haven't— I'm meeting with him before practice today, but I haven't met with him to really talk in depth about it. You know, it's— this happens a lot. Freshman, you have— you want to do well.

It means a lot to you. Just— that's why you play these games too, to get this. I mean, I think if we played a far inferior team, we probably, you know, he probably would have 18 points and it would have looked easy and this and that. Instead you play a team— I don't know how old Cincinnati's guards are, but I know I've been watching them play college basketball for several years, so they're definitely not young pups.

But, uh, so that was good for him. I mean, he'll respond the right way. Um, he'll— I would assume that that'll be the worst stat line he'll ever have in a Michigan uniform. Um, you know, I credit Mike Forrest for our success at FAU a lot.

I was He loses to Lynn in our first game, Division II, and he's a freshman. And it was kind of like Trey, where he was about all the right stuff and everything that was right about our program, and we were going to invest in him. And came into the locker room after the game, I'm trying to be positive. I said, man, that, you know, Zae, Zae's a high-major player, potential NBA guy before he got injured.

I said, Zae, that's the worst game I've ever seen you play. Mike, that's got to be the worst game you've ever played. You can't play any worse. And I looked at him, he said, no, I can't.

I said, work with me here, Mike. So, yeah. The message being like, I'm not worried about Trey McKenney. He's going to be fine.

He's going to make shots. He's going to play high. He's going to play good basketball. So yeah, he'll bounce back.

He'll be fine. I'm kind of glad it happened because it just shows how difficult it is. But he's a good player. He's going to be a monster force this year. Dennis.