May has previously only observed the rivalry from afar. He worked for the basketball team at fellow Big Ten school Indiana as a student and during his coaching career. The “intensity and passion” of Michigan-Michigan State was evident to him even through a TV screen.

Michigan men's basketball head coach Dusty May says the Wolverines' full attention is on rivalry game vs. Michigan State Spartans, following Ohio State win

Dusty May knows what’s next for Michigan on the schedule and that’s rival Michigan State. That might mean just a little bit more on the basketball court than Ohio State, a natural football rival. It’s just May’s first season in Ann Arbor,

Big Ten basketball is a lot of fun when both Michigan and Michigan State are good, and they are currently the top two teams in the Big Ten. The Wolverines and Spartans will meet up on Friday for a huge clash in Ann Arbor, and Dusty May knows that transition defense will be a major key to the contest.

Michigan basketball had a huge week last week, having taken down a highly-ranked Purdue team early in the week before going to Columbus and beating rival Ohio State on Sunday. The Wolverines moved up in the rankings to No.

This is as big a game as they come for the No. 12-ranked Michigan Wolverines. They're on a six-game winning streak and coming off a big win on the road in Columbus against Ohio State. Up next is a huge in-state matchup with No.