Dusty May, the coach who led No. 16 Michigan to a national title just seven months ago, is now roaming NBA sidelines for the Dallas Mavericks. So yeah, when the Wolverines step onto the court in Boston tonight for their neutral-site showdown against No. 4 UConn, it is not exactly the same squad that shocked the Huskies in the 2026 championship game. This Friday night classic, kicking off at 8 p.m. ET from TD Garden, is a rematch everyone wanted, but nobody expected it to look like this.
The Rematch Everyone Is Watching, But Not For The Same Reasons
This is not just any college basketball game. This is a clash between two powerhouses, No. 4 UConn and No. 16 Michigan, who have collectively snagged three of the past four national championships. Back on April 6, exactly seven months ago, it was Michigan that took down UConn 69-63 in that epic 2026 title game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Now, they are meeting again, but the landscape around both teams feels completely different. UConn is coming in as a 7.5-point favorite at DraftKings, and a whopping 75% of the tickets and handle are on them. The total is sitting at 142.5, a slight dip from its opener, with split action on the over/under. Even with the neutral site, you would think the Huskies would have a massive fan advantage in Boston, but Michigan has got fan bases everywhere.
Coaching Shocks and Player Departures
The biggest storyline here? The coaching drama. UConn still has Dan Hurley, the guy who led them to back to back titles in 2023 and 2024. Reportedly, he even turned down a huge six-year, $70 million offer from the Los Angeles Lakers. The word on the street is the New York Knicks are the only NBA job he would even consider. Pretty wild, right? But the real jaw dropper was when Dusty May, Michigan’s title-winning coach, got poached by the Dallas Mavericks last summer. It was a massive shock. May had apparently ruled out all other college jobs, but the NBA had his eye, and who could blame him with the Mavs packing Cooper Flagg and mega rich owners in a major market? May is actually the first college head coach to jump to the NBA since John Beilein left Michigan for Cleveland in 2019, a move that did not pan out. Michigan was left scrambling, forced to promote an assistant coach after May’s sudden exit. On top of that, the Wolverines lost a ton of talent that was set to return, with three players getting picked in the Top 12 of the 2026 NBA Draft: Morez Johnson Jr. went No. 9 to Dallas, Yaxel Lendeborg was an absolute steal for Golden State at No. 11, and Aday Mara landed at No. 12 with Oklahoma City.
So yeah, tonight’s rematch in Boston is loaded. It is going to be fascinating to see how Michigan, under new leadership and missing key players, stacks up against a familiar rival in UConn, still led by their championship-winning coach. Tune in tonight; this one is going to be a real test to see what these teams are really made of, right here, right now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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