No. 2 Michigan routs UCLA 86-56, earns shot at No. 1 in AP Top 25 after Arizona loss

Wolverines put themselves in position to be ranked No. 1 for first time since 2013 with 10th straight win

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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No. 2 Michigan routed UCLA 86-56 on Saturday, putting the Wolverines in position to be ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since 2013 after No. 1 Arizona lost earlier in the week. Yaxel Lendeborg led Michigan with 17 points and 8 rebounds as the Wolverines won their 10th straight game.

Why it matters

Michigan's dominant win over UCLA sets the stage for the Wolverines to potentially reach the No. 1 ranking in the country for the first time in nearly 13 years, a significant milestone for the storied program. The loss by previously top-ranked Arizona has opened the door for Michigan to claim the top spot in the national polls.

The details

Michigan made 9 straight shots, including two 3-pointers by Lendeborg, early in the second half to turn a close game into a rout. Just two years after a school-record 24 losses in Juwan Howard's final season, new coach Dusty May has built a deep and talented roster that has won 24 of 25 games this season, the best start in school history.

  • Michigan won its 10th straight game on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
  • Arizona lost its first game of the season on Monday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Yaxel Lendeborg

Led Michigan with 17 points and 8 rebounds in the win over UCLA.

Dusty May

In his second season as Michigan's head coach, he has rebuilt the Wolverines into a national title contender after a 24-loss season just two years ago.

Trey Burke

The 2013 AP national player of the year for Michigan, who led the Wolverines to the national championship game that season.

John Beilein

The former Michigan head coach who led the Wolverines to the 2013 national championship game.

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the Louisville team that defeated Michigan in the 2013 national championship game.

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What’s next

Michigan will have a chance to claim the No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25 poll when they face No. 13 Purdue on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.

The takeaway

Michigan's remarkable turnaround under new coach Dusty May has put the Wolverines in position to reach the pinnacle of college basketball for the first time in nearly 13 years, a testament to the program's resilience and the impact of strategic roster-building through the transfer portal.