John Beilein on Michigan Wolverines: 'They want to get to Monday night, win their last game and be champions'

Michigan Wolverines basketball is on fire, with head coach Dusty May‘s second season off to a 10-0 start. The Maize and Blue are No. 2 in the nation accoridng to the Associated Press and winning by an average score of 93.4 to 66.9.

Legendary former head coach John Beilein has been beside himself watching just how spectacular the Wolverines have been.

“I’m looking at their stats right now,” Beilein said on ‘The HUGE Show’ with host Bill Simonson. “First in defense. First in defensive rebounding. Fourth in total rebounding. First in assists. They are fourth in two-point field goal percentage in the country. They’re fifth in overall field goal percentage. In blocks, they’re sixth. They have everything that you need here to do it.”

Graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg is leading the charge. The 6-foot-9, 240-pounder is registering 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, and nearly recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds in the 101-83 win over Maryland Saturday evening in College Park.

The UAB transfer committed to Michigan and went through the NBA Draft process but ultimately decided to return to college basketball and play in Ann Arbor.

“Every time that I end up watching Lendeborg play, it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh,'” Beilein remarked. “This guy could’ve gone pro last year. They said he would’ve went in the late first round, so he came back. Whoever would’ve gotten him in the late first round last year would’ve gotten a lottery pick with that pick, because this dude is going to be a lottery pick at the end of this year. He’s in his [sixth] year, he’s experienced, he’s ready to go.

“How about this? His assist-to-turnover ratio, which you guys know is one of my favorite, favorite stats, he’s 3:1. That’s an elite point guard. That’s Trey Burke, Derrick Walton, Zavier Simpson — 3:1. This guy is a 6-9 forward with a 3:1 ratio. He’s willing to pass.”

And he has talented teammates to pass the ball to, including other veterans who are also unselfish. Michigan has just one freshman in its rotation in guard Trey McKenney and only three underclassmen of the nine who play regular minutes (sophomores L.J. Cason and Morez Johnson Jr.).

“This is a talented team that I think gets it,” the former Michigan coach continued. “It’s all they want to do is win. With the exception of McKenney, they’ve got a lot of experienced players. They know it doesn’t make a difference if you don’t win your last game — and they’re trying to do that. They want to get to Monday night, win their last game and be champions.”

May took over a Michigan program that went 8-24 in its final season under Juwan Howard. The 48-year-old didn’t have much of a roster — let alone a good one — to inherit and had to build it by scratch and in short order. He put together a Sweet 16 squad last year and has one with an even higher upside this time around. That ceiling is unlimited, with Michigan possessing all the pieces to win the national championship.

“I think last year was a great year. Great year for them,” Beilein said. “But they had a few ups and downs at the end, and then they took off at the end. I think he as a coach learned so much more about what it’s like to compete at this level, what it’s like to go against [Purdue head coach] Matt Painter and [Michigan State head coach] Tom Izzo and guys like that.

“And now, he came into this year even more intent at making sure his team is ready. I’m in Ann Arbor now, and I hope to go to a practice this week. He has made them so hungry, and they’ve got a great scheme offensively. And defensively, the way that they block shots, people can’t even get near the rim. I think that people are shooting 38 percent from two against them. Thirty-eight percent from two! That’s crazy. That’s second in the country.

“They guard, they have a sense of urgency to play. And the Maryland game was tremendous, for them to be down like that, take somebody’s best shot and come back. 

“But it’s going to be interesting. They have a schedule in January that they could blow right through, and then all of the sudden now it’s going to hit in February, and they’ve got to stay healthy, too. Don’t have many holes. Got to stay healthy.”

Michigan is back in action Sunday against La Salle. Tip off is set for 4 p.m. ET on Peacock.