Michigan basketball has put together some impressive wins this season, but none was more impressive than the 83-71 win over Michigan State on Friday night in East Lansing.
It was the first win at the Breslin Center for the Wolverines since John Beilein was the head coach back in 2018. Michigan basketball won the Big Ten tournament that seaason, before reaching the Final Four, and playing for the national championship.
Could that be in the cards again? The Wolverines are 20-1 and 10-1 in the Big Ten. They have defeated three teams ranked in the top 7: Gonzaga, Nebraska, and Michigan State. Only one of those games was decided by double digits, and only one was at home.
The Wolverines are ranked No. 1 in the Kenpom rankings again, with the No. 1 adjusted defense and the No. 6 adjusted offense. This team has all the makings of a championship contender. It even has an X-factor that could help this Michigan basketball squad reach an ever-higher ceiling.
And honestly, that might be what it takes to put Michigan over the top for the first time since 1989. That X-factor or "wildcard" is true freshman Trey McKenney, at least according to college basketball expert Jon Rothstein, who covers the sport for CBS.
Trey McKenney is the wildcard for Michigan’s national title hopes
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 31, 2026
Four straight games in double figures.
A key scorer in reserve. https://t.co/gEJHEjyWBt
"Trey McKenney is the wildcard for Michigan’s national title hopes -- four straight games in double figures. A key scorer in reserve," Rothstein posted on X after the Wolverines' win over MSU.
Trey McKenney is becoming a star
The true freshman has been stellar coming off the bench this season for Michigan basketball, scoring 10 points per game and shooting 46.1 percent from the field. McKenney takes most of his shots from beyond the arc, but has been a reliable 3-point shooter with 1.6 makes per game at a 35.8 percent clip.
However, McKenney is more than just a shooter. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound combo guard can also get to the bucket, as he showed with his game-winner against Nebraska with about a minute to go.
It also shows how highly Dusty May thinks of his freshman. McKenney was being subbed in late during the Spartans' game for offensive purposes. He's a playmaker, a shot maker, and Rothstein is right about him being a wildcard, or an X-factor in the Wolverines run for a national title.
During the past four games, McKenney has scored 10.75 points per game. He's making 1.75 3-pointers per game, with at least two triples in three of those games, and shooting 38 percent. His role is only growing, and if his game continues to grow, the best team in college basketball will be even better.