Michigan basketball might not be ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, just the Coaches Poll, but with all due respect to Arizona, it's clear who the best team in college basketball is right now.
That doesn't mean Michigan basketball will be No. 1 following the NCAA tournament, the only time when being No. 1 truly matters, but it's laughable to compare anyone else to this team.
Michigan has played one of the toughest schedules in college basketball. The other nine teams that have done that have at least three losses. Michigan has none. Arizona isn't one of those 10 teams.
The top 10 in strength of schedule on KenPom. What stands out? pic.twitter.com/eH66sGgc8d
— Championship Connoisseur (@UMvsEveryone) December 10, 2025
Michigan has won five games in a row by at least 28 points, all against high-major teams. No one else has done that this season. No other team is undefeated with a win over a team from each of the Power-5 conferences.
That’s pretty good pic.twitter.com/yjXj8udFz3
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) December 10, 2025
And the Wolverines could have won by much more than 28 on Tuesday night if they really wanted to. They also shot 27 percent from 3-point range, 56 percent from the free-throw line, and got two field goals from Yaxel Lendeborg.
Just imagine if Michigan had shot the ball well. One of the lessons from the Villanova game is that the Wolverines don't have to shoot well to beat quality teams. Why? Their defense is maybe the best college basketball defense in decades. That's what the numbers say, at least.
Michigan basketball has the No. 1 adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. The gap between the Wolverines and the No. 2 team is 4.7, which is the largest gap that has ever existed in the Kenpom rankings dating back to 1997, according to Brandon Koretz of Fox Sports.
Dusty May is a miracle worker. People are calling him the Curt Cignetti of college basketball, and right now, it's hard to disagree.