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EbegunApr 07, 9:10 PM

Greatest Michigan basketball team of all time?

-39.7 net rating in Kenpom, second highest all time behind 99 Duke -37 wins ties a record with Illinois for the most in a B10 season all time -Undefeated on the road first time ever -713 point differential, highest all time for B10 season -90 points in 5 straight tournament games Im sure there’s more I’m missing and tbh if Yaxel was fully healthy I truly believe we could have gotten to 90 last night against UConn. He would have scored 30 on Mullins. Yax talked the talk all year starting at the players era. Wanted to be the greatest Michigan team of all time. For those of you that watched the 89 team you’ll have to give your opinions here but numbers don’t lie. What a special year. Go Blue!
49 Replies
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WolverineCasual

Apr 07, 9:14 PM

Ebegun said:
-39.7 net rating in Kenpom, second highest all time behind 99 Duke -37 wins ties a record with Illinois for the most in a B10 season all time -Undefeated on the road first time ever -713 point differential, highest all time for B10 season -90 points in 5 straight tournament games Im sure there’s more I’m missing and tbh if Yaxel was fully healthy I truly believe we could have gotten to 90 last night against UConn. He would have scored 30 on Mullins. Yax talked the talk all year starting at the players era. Wanted to be the greatest Michigan team of all time. For those of you that watched the 89 team you’ll have to give your opinions here but numbers don’t lie. What a special year. Go Blue!
I think there's an argument that this is the greatest team this century. From an analytics perspective, it's actually quite compelling.
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@iwilly

Apr 07, 9:15 PM

I don’t think there is a debate about the best Michigan team ever. This team by basically every metric was better than the 89 team.
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I Like Blue

Apr 07, 9:15 PM

Yes. Best UM Hoops team ever. Just rolled so many good teams. Played their C game and won a National Championship. So well coached and selfless.
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Ozymattdias

Apr 07, 9:16 PM

2012-2013 team at their peak could win vs this team
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HampshireBlue

Apr 07, 9:17 PM

But, Jay Williams says the 89 team was the best because that team has Glen “Big Dog” Rice🤣
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LC98

Apr 07, 9:22 PM

Yes and what is crazy is that I feel we never saw the true potential of this team. They won the title mostly dominating the tournament and yet I still think they could have played better, that’s how good they were.
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Nozey1

Apr 07, 9:24 PM

Ebegun said:
-39.7 net rating in Kenpom, second highest all time behind 99 Duke -37 wins ties a record with Illinois for the most in a B10 season all time -Undefeated on the road first time ever -713 point differential, highest all time for B10 season -90 points in 5 straight tournament games Im sure there’s more I’m missing and tbh if Yaxel was fully healthy I truly believe we could have gotten to 90 last night against UConn. He would have scored 30 on Mullins. Yax talked the talk all year starting at the players era. Wanted to be the greatest Michigan team of all time. For those of you that watched the 89 team you’ll have to give your opinions here but numbers don’t lie. What a special year. Go Blue!
Agree. A fully functional Yax would have really opened up the offense, shut down quite a few of those offensive rebounds that he would have gotten and those that were in reach that he just couldn’t explode for. I think we would hit 90 or more because after a while the other team gets demoralized (yeah, even UCONN).
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AC is the best

Apr 07, 9:25 PM

Ebegun said:
-39.7 net rating in Kenpom, second highest all time behind 99 Duke -37 wins ties a record with Illinois for the most in a B10 season all time -Undefeated on the road first time ever -713 point differential, highest all time for B10 season -90 points in 5 straight tournament games Im sure there’s more I’m missing and tbh if Yaxel was fully healthy I truly believe we could have gotten to 90 last night against UConn. He would have scored 30 on Mullins. Yax talked the talk all year starting at the players era. Wanted to be the greatest Michigan team of all time. For those of you that watched the 89 team you’ll have to give your opinions here but numbers don’t lie. What a special year. Go Blue!
The '89 team got HOT!! The team was full of talent (lots of pros) that hadn't been tapped until their coach left and Fisher moved in. That was a ride and a worthy champion having beaten Illinois on Saturday night and that was a stunner similar-ish to Arizona. They were not favored and broke the Illini hearts to this day. Long way to say this team was better with better coaching. Dusty's performance is being incredibly underrated. This was incredible.
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acousticmike80

Apr 07, 9:27 PM

By far the best team. Would have been a 10-15 point favorite over any UM team in last 30-40 years. Absolute machine.
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acousticmike80

Apr 07, 9:28 PM

Ozymattdias said:
2012-2013 team at their peak could win vs this team
I loved that team. This team was WAY better.
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antidaily

Apr 07, 9:30 PM

Ebegun said:
-37 wins ties a record with Illinois for the most in a B10 season all time
Who lost in the Final to North Carolina.
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MiamiWolv

Apr 07, 9:32 PM

Ebegun said:
-39.7 net rating in Kenpom, second highest all time behind 99 Duke -37 wins ties a record with Illinois for the most in a B10 season all time -Undefeated on the road first time ever -713 point differential, highest all time for B10 season -90 points in 5 straight tournament games Im sure there’s more I’m missing and tbh if Yaxel was fully healthy I truly believe we could have gotten to 90 last night against UConn. He would have scored 30 on Mullins. Yax talked the talk all year starting at the players era. Wanted to be the greatest Michigan team of all time. For those of you that watched the 89 team you’ll have to give your opinions here but numbers don’t lie. What a special year. Go Blue!
Its not even close. It's clearly the best team in school history.
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acousticmike80

Apr 07, 9:32 PM

We were up by 30 on Arizona before garbage time. Arizona was a dominant team. We literally shot the worst we possibly could last night. Pretty much an awful game. And still won by 6 - and led most of the way. Epic (sorry @Felix90) team. Totally elite.
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acousticmike80

Apr 07, 9:33 PM

MiamiWolv said:
It’s not even close. It's clearly the best team in school history.
Facts.
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mjt2317

Apr 07, 9:33 PM

@iwilly said:
I don’t think there is a debate about the best Michigan team ever. This team by basically every metric was better than the 89 team.
I think the fair argument is the 2026 team is the best Michigan team ever but the 1989 team had arguably the best Michigan player of all-time (in Rice). If the above is anyone’s argument, then I can live with it.
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Jim_S

Apr 07, 9:34 PM

I was a bit young to see the Cazzie teams of the mid-60s but from the Rudy T teams of 68-70 through this year I have seen then all. This team is BY FAR the best Michigan team I have ever seen. No ifs, ors or buts about it. And it is not close. 76, 89, 92, 93, 13, 18 were all fine teams, as were some other teams that did not make the final four, such as 77, 85 and 86.But none of those teams were as dominating as this team. None.
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acousticmike80

Apr 07, 9:35 PM

No UM team ever would be able to match up with this size, athleticism, depth and defense.
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Blue_J

Apr 07, 9:38 PM

This team is easily the best in Michigan history and one of the best ever Big Ten teams. The national championship is phenomenal, but what puts this team at the top is how they dominated most of their games. Even more ridiculous is winning a stacked Big Ten by 4 frickin games. That's insane!
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Dalemac

Apr 07, 9:38 PM

Yes, they achieved more than any other team. Dominated a strong B10 setting many records in the process then did it again in the tournament.
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Amaizingblue

Apr 07, 9:39 PM

Ebegun said:
-39.7 net rating in Kenpom, second highest all time behind 99 Duke -37 wins ties a record with Illinois for the most in a B10 season all time -Undefeated on the road first time ever -713 point differential, highest all time for B10 season -90 points in 5 straight tournament games Im sure there’s more I’m missing and tbh if Yaxel was fully healthy I truly believe we could have gotten to 90 last night against UConn. He would have scored 30 on Mullins. Yax talked the talk all year starting at the players era. Wanted to be the greatest Michigan team of all time. For those of you that watched the 89 team you’ll have to give your opinions here but numbers don’t lie. What a special year. Go Blue!
Yes, they are the greatest Michigan team of all time and the data backs that up.
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Amaizingblue

Apr 07, 9:39 PM

Ozymattdias said:
2012-2013 team at their peak could win vs this team
I doubt it. Couldn’t handle our size.
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acousticmike80

Apr 07, 9:40 PM

Amaizingblue said:
I doubt it. Couldn’t handle our size.
Loved that team, but kenpom has this team 10-12 points better. With a healthy Yax, this team rolls..
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Dalemac

Apr 07, 9:41 PM

Blue_J said:
This team is easily the best in Michigan history and one of the best ever Big Ten teams. The national championship is phenomenal, but what puts this team at the top is how they dominated most of their games. Even more ridiculous is winning a stacked Big Ten by 4 frickin games. That's insane!
Revson and Davis on BTN said last night they were the best ever in the B10, though they then gave some props to IU 76.
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The Doob

Apr 07, 9:49 PM

'89 didn't win the Big Ten The others that won the Big Ten, didn't win the national championship. 2026 did both, which, for me, separates this group from all former Michigan teams.

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