The Michigan Wolverines have blazed to a 14-4 start, far surpassing expectations for first-year head coach Dusty May, who quickly built a competitive roster and got the program back into the national landscape. Past the midway point, anything less than an NCAA Tournament appearance would be devastating for the team.
An overtime win over Northwestern followed an overtime loss to Minnesota last week, but key losses across the AP top-25 kept the Wolverines ranked at No. 21 heading into a key contest this Friday with the No. 11 Purdue Boilermakers. The game has massive implications for the regular season Big Ten title, as the Boilermakers sit a half-game above the Wolverines for second place in the conference.