Michigan, Michigan State basketball jump in polls after sweeping opening week of Big Ten

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Michigan basketball already looks like a completely new team under Dusty May, and after another 2-0 week, the Wolverines are ranked in both major polls.

Dusty May’s Wolverines (8-1, 2-0 Big Ten) have won seven consecutive contests for the first time since the program opened the 2020-21 season a perfect 11-0 and as a result have jumped up to No. 14 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll after being ranked No. 23 last week. In addition, the Wolverines now find themselves ranked No. 14 in the AP poll as well after being left off last week.

Michigan center Vladislav Goldin (50) celebrates a play against Iowa during the second half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024.

The number next to the Block M logo comes as little surprise, considering Michigan took care of business in the Big Ten in its early stretch. U-M went to Wisconsin, a top-15 team at the time, and though the guards didn’t play their best, took it to the Badgers and pulled out a 67-64 win.

U-M’s ‘Area-51’ duo had their best game to date as Danny Wolf had 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Vlad Goldin added 24 points and five rebounds. The duo showed it wasn’t a one-time thing over the weekend, when Goldin had his first U-M double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Wolf added 13 points and 14 rebounds in a hard-fought 85-83 win over Iowa.

RED-HOT WOLVERINES: No. 23 Michigan basketball holds off Iowa, 85-83, for 7th straight victory: ‘Not surprised’

U-M had a 16-point lead in the first half and an 11-point lead with 6:30 to play, but had to survive on a Roddy Gayle Jr. game-winning layup with 4.3 seconds to play after it failed to close the door late in the contest.

The road doesn’t get any easier in the near future. On Tuesday, the Wolverines will take on Arkansas (7-2) led by the legendary John Calipari in his first year with the Razorbacks, in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City (9:00 p.m., ESPN); then, next week, U-M takes on still undefeated Oklahoma in the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-michigan-state-basketball-jump-182125004.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2024-12-09 18:21:00

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