Game 31: Michigan State at Michigan Recap

Dusty May bristled when asked whether Michigan’s regular-season finale against Michigan State was meaningless — and rightfully so. The Wolverines had wrapped up an outright Big Ten title back in February, but a team of this caliber with these standards can’t afford to entertain the idea of losing a game like this. 

Sunday afternoon in Ann Arbor was the type of game you build for — the ones you aspire to play in when you start a project like this. Two years ago, Michigan beat Cleveland State in the first game of May’s tenure in front of a half-empty building, and he promised that the seats would be full soon enough, just like his time at Florida Atlantic.

It took him two seasons, but May delivered on his promise. The Crisler Center was filled to the brim — “a pretty good environment… for here,” Izzo admitted bitterly — and it wasn’t filled with hope, but expectation and celebration. The building was full of fans who wanted to see one of the best teams in the sport beat their rivals, and raise a banner for fun.

Nights like this one are why you recruit a Yaxel Lendeborg, and how you convince one of the best rosters in college basketball to come together to play together.

Michigan played like it. The Wolverines didn’t play their best game and had some uncharacteristic lapses, but they made the big plays when they mattered. They played like a team that knows it needs nine more wins to achieve its goals, and fully believes it will get them.

It was Yaxel Lendeborg’s last game in the Crisler Center, and he dominated the game from wire-to-wire. He finished with 27 points, buried five threes, saving his best home performance for his last.