Michigan Basketball Reaches No. 1
Michigan surged to No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for the first time since 2013, dethroning Arizona just as March Madness approaches. The Wolverines' rise highlights their growing dominance in college basketball.
- The last time Michigan held the top spot was in the poll released on January 28, 2013, a position they held for just one week. After a win against Northwestern, they were defeated by Indiana and dropped in the following week's rankings. - The 2012-2013 team was led by head coach John Beilein and featured several future NBA players, including National Player of the Year Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., Glenn Robinson III, Nik Stauskas, and Mitch McGary. - That season, the Wolverines set a record for the best start in school history at 19-1 and ultimately finished with a 31-8 record. - Despite losing the top ranking, the 2013 team made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed, advancing to the national championship game. - In the 2013 NCAA final, Michigan lost to Louisville in a game that was later vacated by the NCAA. - The current Wolverines team under coach Dusty May has the best start in program history at 24-1. - Arizona, the team Michigan just dethroned from the No. 1 spot, had held the top ranking for nine consecutive weeks before losing two games.
