Michigan's First Hoops Title Since '89

Rich opened the show with a history lesson. Junior year at Michigan. 1989. He was a sports editor at the Michigan Daily, sitting in Crisler Arena on the last day of Big 10 play, watching Bill Frieder's Wolverines get curb-stomped by Lou Henson's Illinois. Frieder announced he was leaving for Arizona State but wanted to coach Michigan through the tournament. Bo Schembechler had other ideas. A Michigan man will coach the Michigan team.

Bo tapped Steve Fisher, an assistant who looked straight out of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. A six seed. Beat Dean Smith and North Carolina in the Sweet 16. Beat Virginia. Made the Final Four. Beat that same Illinois team on a Sean Higgins baseline bucket. Beat Seton Hall in overtime of the title game in the Kingdome when Rumeal Robinson made his free throws. Glenn Rice was Most Outstanding Player. Rich drew the short straw back at the Michigan Daily, swimming upstream through celebrating students to close the newspaper instead of partying.

37 years. That's how long Michigan basketball fans waited for this moment.

The Fab Five era came close. Rich went to the title game, ran into Christian Laettner and Duke the year before, then the timeout hit against North Carolina the next year. John Beilein's teams made the 2013 and 2018 title games and came up short, Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. against Louisville, then Jalen Brunson and Villanova. Juwan Howard's tenure ended 8-24 two years ago.

On March 23, 2024, Michigan hired Dusty May off Florida Atlantic's Final Four run. A month later, Rich ran into May in an airport security line after finishing his NFL Draft duties. Rich remembered exactly what he said: good luck, we're all counting on you.

Fast forward to the 2026 title run. Rich told viewers in December that this team's superpower was versatility. They could beat you from three. If you took away the three, they'd beat you in transition. If you took away transition, Yaxel Moctezuma, the 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward Dusty plucked from UAB who picked up the nickname Dominican LeBron, would beat you in the paint.

Against Alabama in Chicago, Michigan won a track meet. Against Tennessee two days later, they won a street fight. Against UConn and Dan Hurley's two-time defending champions, they won by dictating pace, a defense-first team that averaged over 90 points a game in the tournament.

Rich called this the best basketball team Michigan has ever put on a court, a field, or the ice. Dusty May, mission accomplished in two years. Two years. Cut down the nets.