Dusty May by his return to Bloomington

On By Littum

Dusty May has always openly reflected lovingly from her time at Indiana. It is the state where he was born, Bloomington is the city where his mother still lives, and Hoosiers is the program that May’s professional career began as student manager.

All this means something for the first year coach for No. 24 Michigan men’s basketball team. But this week it’s all secondary ahead of Saturday’s match.

“I’m sure it will be cool to go to Assembly Hall, where you’ve spent a lot of time, but I’m not thinking of anything,” May said Wednesday after Wolverines ’80 -76 win over Oregon. “My mother lives in Bloomington. That’s, you know, that’s what it is. But I go there to try to win a freaking basketball game – and that’s it. “

Winning is all his focus right now. The duty to get seats for family members has been delegated to his wife. Dozens of his messages from old friends are left unloaded. Al May is doing is preparing to pick up another Big Ten victory on the road.

Wolverines are currently competing at the top of the conference. And often what separates teams in the upper joint is the ability to win on the road. For example, Michigan State seemed stuck in the tip with a 9-0 start in the Big Ten game. Then a five-hour three-time zone slammed trek to the West Coast Spartans with back-to-back loss.

Likewise, Michigan’s two conference losses both came on the road after its 6-0 start made it the favorite to take the regular season at the time. Wolverines are now even sitting with Michigan State, both half -play behind Purdue, which blasted Michigan in the Mackey Arena on January 24.

In the Big Ten, where the homeland has won 61.2% of the time this season, Wolverines are vulnerable every time they go on the road. Although Indiana has lost six of its last seven games, even if it sits at 12. At the conference, May’s attention will be solely on Saturday’s match and not Saturday’s atmosphere and nostalgia.

“No doubt it’s just another game,” May said Monday. “… I saw them playing Purdue the other night. I’ve seen them play a handful of games. They played at a high, high level in the Mackey Arena. And then no, it’s not hard for me to loosen the feeling because we have a job to do. “

Despite hitting a rough patch, Hoosiers still have more than just a glimpse of hope for Saturday-the most obvious is home-ground advantage. Unlike many teams, the Indiana has the size and skill of the interior to match with Michigan Junior tip Danny Wolf and Graduate Center Vlad Goldin.

Overwhelming, TWOS prefers rather than triangles, Hoosiers rely on the 7-Fod Center Oumar Ballo to be their leading goal scorer. And further proof of his desire to win games inside, Indiana has the third highest offensive rebounding percentage in the Big Ten.

These are all things – such as Michigan’s position at the conference and the importance of outdoor matches – which is likely to be the hyperfix on.

“It’s refreshing to be in this position they earned,” May said Wednesday. “And we all have confidence that there will be the moment when it just starts to click. And when that happens, we really go to gel and meet as a team. Until then, we will just continue to fight like crazy to get better. “

He has spent plenty of time in the assembly hall and has told it on several occasions. But right now the blinds are turned on. He is interested in preparing Michigan to win there on Saturday – that’s it.