Despite the unfortunate 75-62 defeat at home against Michigan State, I’m inclined to view Friday as a positive day for the Michigan Wolverines.

The game was challenging, to say the least.

However, I still see Friday as a pivotal day for Michigan, as their head coach, Dusty May, officially dismissed any rumors of him potentially leaving to coach at his alma mater, Indiana. Just prior to the game, May signed a contract extension, effectively taking him out of the running for the position that could open up if Mike Woodson were to depart. With May’s roots in the area—having graduated high school a mere 18 miles from IU’s campus—fans from both programs had been left speculating. This extension put those concerns to rest.

On Friday afternoon, shortly before the game began, Michigan’s athletic director, Warde Manuel, announced the agreement between him and May, a decision that forced Indiana to seek other candidates for their coaching vacancy. Read more about the agreement here.

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“I am thrilled to share that Dusty and I have finalized a new multi-year contract,” Manuel stated. “His dedication to our university and the success of the men’s basketball program has greatly surpassed our expectations, and we are excited about the bright future ahead. I look forward to Dusty, his wife Anna, and their family continuing to be integral members of our university and community for many years to come.”

Irrespective of the outcomes that followed, I had planned to regard Friday positively for Michigan—and I still do. However, the aftermath was disappointing, as the Wolverines were outscored 41-24 in the second half, leading to a 13-point loss in this highly publicized matchup. Now sitting at 20-6 overall and 12-3 in Big Ten play, the Wolverines find themselves one game behind Michigan State in the standings instead of leading the pack, which would have been the case had they maintained their earlier eight-point lead.

Can Michigan still clinch the Big Ten title? Absolutely. Nevertheless, it is now undeniably more challenging than if they had simply protected their lead on Friday night.

The win propelled Michigan State to No. 9 in the updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 rankings on Saturday morning, consequently nudging Texas A&M and St. John’s down one position each, despite their performances. Meanwhile, Michigan retains its No. 13 ranking, as I believe no teams below them have demonstrated stronger credentials at this time.

Top 25 And 1 Rankings