Michigan Basketball's Dusty May Sees Positives in Tough Duke Loss

Wolverines coach believes defeat will prepare team for NCAA Tournament run

Feb. 22, 2026 at 3:06pm

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Michigan basketball suffered a close 68-63 loss to Duke on Saturday, but head coach Dusty May is trying to remain upbeat. May believes the defeat will benefit his team as they prepare for the final stretch of the Big Ten season and the NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters

Michigan is battling Duke and other top teams for a coveted No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. While the loss was disappointing, May hopes it will help the Wolverines learn and grow, ultimately positioning them for a deep postseason run.

The details

Despite the setback, May is confident his team will bounce back. He noted that the Wolverines' biggest goals are winning the Big Ten championship and competing for a national title. Michigan is currently 25-2 on the season and 15-1 in conference play, with their only loss coming against Wisconsin.

  • The Michigan basketball team lost to Duke 68-63 on Saturday, February 22, 2026.
  • Michigan's next game is against Minnesota on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.

The players

Dusty May

The head coach of the Michigan basketball team, who is in his second season leading the Wolverines. May previously reached a Final Four as the head coach of Florida Atlantic.

Michigan Wolverines

The men's basketball team from the University of Michigan, currently ranked among the top teams in the country and battling for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Duke Blue Devils

The men's basketball team from Duke University, one of Michigan's top competitors for a high NCAA Tournament seed.

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What they’re saying

“It's good because we're going to learn a lot from it. And we've got to turn our focus back to the Big Ten where we have four games remaining and every one of them is a Big Ten championship-caliber game. And so whether we won this or we lost, it's going to be what can we learn from it. Let's turn the page.”

— Dusty May, Head Coach, Michigan Wolverines (247 Sports)

“You play these games for a number of reasons. The crowd was amazing. I do think this will prepare us better for the NCAA Tournament, whether it's a first-round game or a Sweet Sixteen, an Elite Eight game, whatever the case.”

— Dusty May, Head Coach, Michigan Wolverines (247 Sports)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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