Michigan Claims Big Ten Basketball Title
Michigan's men's basketball team clinched the outright Big Ten regular-season title with an emphatic 84-70 win over No. 10 Illinois in Champaign. The Wolverines finished 27-2 overall and 17-1 in conference play, cementing their national title credentials heading into the postseason.
The victory marked Michigan's first outright regular-season Big Ten championship since the 2020-21 season and their 16th in program history. The win in Champaign was also the team's 10th straight road victory, keeping their undefeated road record intact. This title continues a successful run under second-year head coach Dusty May. In his first season, May led the Wolverines to a Big Ten Tournament championship and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The win was particularly sweet for forward Morez Johnson Jr., who transferred to Michigan from Illinois. Facing his former team amidst boos from the crowd, Johnson delivered a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Michigan's 17 conference wins set a new program record, surpassing the previous mark of 16. The team is now 27-2 on the season, the best start in the history of the program. The Wolverines snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Fighting Illini with the victory, their first win against them since January 2019. Michigan's defense held Illinois, the Big Ten's top 3-point shooting team, to just 9 of 29 from beyond the arc.
