Michigan basketball is now 3-0 in rivalry games this season. Dusty May is 3-0 against Ohio State, which is fitting since some in the Buckeye fanbase once believed they dodged a bullet by not hiring him.
Turns out they were wrong. May has been the second coming of John Beilein. Heck, he might prove to be even better than that, or at least he might achieve more.
After a dominating second half Sunday, the Wolverines won their seventh game by double figures in their past eight games, thanks to a final score of 82-61. Only ninth-ranked Nebraska stayed within single digits.
Ohio State kept things interesting for a half. Then, they were overwhelmed by Michigan's defense, and by Aday Mara. The UCLA transfer scored 24 points (11/16), made two 3-pointers, grabbed six rebounds, dished out three assists, and had two blocks.
Michigan basketball finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. The 2-point offense wasn't as good as it was in the first meeting, but the 3-point shooting was better. Michigan was still right at 60 percent from 2-point range, and they held Ohio State to 35 percent overall.
The Buckeyes had 12 turnovers. Bruce Thornton got 16, which is more than I expected, but Michigan cruised to an easy win in Columbus, and here are the gut reactions.
Gut Reactions
Aday Mara was a beast: The 7-foot-3 center showed why some believe he could be a first-round pick. He made two 3-pointers, impacted a number of shots in the paint, and couldn't be stopped near the bucket. It was arguably the best performance of his career.
Dusty May wins rivalry games: John Beilein was great in rivalry games. Now, Dusty May is starting to develop that reputation, too. He's 1-2 against the Spartans. That record still needs work, but he's also 3-0 against Ohio State. He's won three straight rivalry games this season, all by double digits.
Yaxel does it again: Lendeborg had 26 points and 13 rebounds against Michigan State. He only took nine shots and made five, but still scored 14 points and had 14 rebounds in the. win Sunday. He also pitched in with three assists and two blocks. His defense is so good that it can be hard to categorize. It's hard to deal with Michigan's length, especially when Yaxel and Morez Johnson can switch all the ball screens.
Trey McKenney is no ordinary freshman: The five-star guard has scored in double figures in six straight games after a 12-point outing. He was 4-of-6 from the field, made two triples, and continues to be hard to guard coming off the bench. He's the X-factor for this team.
Michigan leads the Big Ten title race: Illinois and Nebraska are one game back, but the Wolverines have a tiny cushion at 12-1 in the Big Ten. There are seven games to go; if Michigan goes 6-1, the worst it can do is share the Big Ten championship.