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The University of Michigan's basketball team, the Wolverines, compete in the Big Ten Conference. The Big Ten Conference was founded in 1896 and is one of the oldest in the nation, predating the founding of the NCAA by a decade. The Wolverines have won multiple Big Ten championships, including three consecutive championships from 1925 to 1927. The team has also produced notable players such as Buntin, who became the first Wolverine to be drafted by the NBA in 1965.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | Michigan Wolverines |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Year Founded | 1895 |
| Founding Members | Purdue University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin, and Lake Forest College |
| Current Members | Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, and Rutgers |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Division | Men's and Women's |
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | 27 |
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What You'll Learn
Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team
The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represents the University of Michigan in NCAA Division I men's basketball. The Wolverines play their home games at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and their head coach since 2017 has been Juwan Howard.
The Wolverines have won the Big Ten Conference, of which they are a member, regular-season championship nine times and the Big Ten Conference Tournament three times. They have also made it to the NCAA Tournament championship game six times, winning the title once, in 1989.
The team has a rich history, with basketball first appearing at the university in 1909. However, it wasn't until 1917 that the inaugural season of varsity basketball took place, under the guidance of coach Elmer Mitchell. The team's early success came in the 1920s, with back-to-back championships in the 1925–26 and 1926–27 seasons. The 1926 squad shared the conference championship with Purdue, Iowa, and Indiana.
The Wolverines have had some notable coaches and players over the years. Johnny Orr, for example, led the team to four consecutive NCAA selections from 1974 to 1977 and earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honours twice. During his tenure, six players earned a total of seven All-American recognitions, the most of any Michigan coach. In 1965, Russell led the Wolverines to their third straight conference championship and was named National Player of the Year.
More recently, the Wolverines have continued to perform well and remain competitive in the Big Ten Conference. They are a well-respected programme with a proud basketball history.
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Big Ten Conference
The University of Michigan's basketball team, the Wolverines, compete in the Big Ten Conference. The conference was founded in February 1896, making it one of the oldest in the nation, and it was one of the first collegiate conferences to sponsor men's basketball.
The University of Michigan was one of the founding members of the conference, then known as the Western Conference. The other founding members were Purdue University, the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, and the University of Wisconsin.
The Wolverines have a storied history in the Big Ten, winning back-to-back championships in 1925-26 and 1926-27. They also tied for the conference championship in 1926 with Purdue, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Indiana Hoosiers. The Wolverines have also won several Big Ten titles under different coaches, including E.J. Mather and Johnny Orr.
The University of Michigan was involved in a major basketball scandal in the early 1990s, which resulted in an investigation by the Big Ten Conference, the NCAA, the FBI, the IRS, and the US Department of Justice. The program was found to have violated NCAA rules by accepting payments from booster Ed Martin, which were linked to an illegal gambling operation. This scandal is considered one of the largest incidents involving payments to college athletes in American collegiate history.
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NCAA Tournament
The University of Michigan's basketball team, the Wolverines, competes in the Big Ten Conference, one of the oldest such organisations in the US. The Big Ten Conference was founded in 1896, pre-dating the NCAA by a decade.
The Wolverines have a storied history in the NCAA Tournament, with 24 appearances, the fourth-highest number of all time. The team has won the Big Ten Conference championship 14 times, most recently in 1986. They have also earned four consecutive NCAA selections from 1974 to 1977 under coach Johnny Orr, who led the team to a second-place finish in the NCAA championship game in 1976.
The Wolverines have produced several notable players who have gone on to have successful careers in the NBA, including Buntin, who became the first Wolverine to be drafted by the NBA in 1965. The team has also had its fair share of scandals, including a notable incident in the 1990s involving payments to players from a basketball booster, Ed Martin, which was one of the largest scandals involving payments to college athletes in American collegiate history.
In recent years, the Wolverines have continued to perform well, with a record of 8-24 in the 2024-25 season, finishing 18th in the Big Ten Conference. They have also had success in the NCAA Tournament, with highlights including a game against Auburn in March 2025.
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University of Michigan basketball scandal
The University of Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Wolverines have won the Big Ten Conference championship on multiple occasions, including in 1926, 1929, 1974, and 1977.
Now, here is some information on the University of Michigan basketball scandal:
The University of Michigan basketball scandal, also known as the Ed Martin scandal, centred around violations of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules by the university's men's basketball program. The scandal involved booster Eddie L. "Ed" Martin, who made payments to several players using money from an illegal gambling operation. This scandal is considered one of the largest incidents of payments to athletes in American collegiate history.
The case began when Michigan player Maurice Taylor was involved in an automobile accident in February 1996. The subsequent investigation revealed a connection between Martin and the basketball program, indicating potential rules violations. Martin was charged with conspiracy to engage in illegal gambling and money laundering, and it was discovered that he had provided a total of $616,000 in loans to four players: Chris Webber, Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor, and Louis Bullock.
The scandal resulted in significant consequences for the university's basketball program. The NCAA, Big Ten Conference, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) were all involved in the investigation. As a result, the program faced sanctions, including the loss of postseason eligibility for the 2002-2003 team and the vacating of several previous tournament championships. The scandal also impacted the honours and awards received by the implicated players, including Webber's All-American honours in 1993 and Traylor's MVP awards in the 1997 NIT and 1998 Big Ten tournaments.
The University of Michigan basketball scandal had far-reaching implications and is considered one of the most significant violations of NCAA bylaws in history. It resulted in a loss of postseason eligibility and the vacating of previous tournament championships for the university's basketball program. The scandal also impacted the honours and awards received by the implicated players.
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Wolverines' 2025-26 schedule
The Michigan Wolverines play in the Big Ten Conference. The Wolverines have won several Big Ten championships, including back-to-back championships in 1925-26 and 1926-27.
The season begins on Monday, November 3, with Oakland heading to Ann Arbor at the Crisler Center. On Tuesday, November 11, the Wolverines will play against Wake Forest in Detroit, Michigan, at Little Caesars Arena. On Friday, November 14, the team will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to face TCU.
The Wolverines will then host Middle Tennessee on Wednesday, November 19, at the Crisler Center. They will then travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, for three games: first against San Diego State on Monday, November 24, then Auburn on Tuesday, November 25, and finally a matchup with TBD on Wednesday or Thursday, November 26 or 27.
Returning from Thanksgiving, the Wolverines will host Villanova on Tuesday, December 9, at the Crisler Center, followed by LaSalle on Sunday, December 21, and McNeese on Monday, December 29, both also at the Crisler Center.
The Wolverines will then enter the Big Ten portion of their schedule, which includes a highly anticipated matchup with national power Duke on Saturday, February 21, in Washington, D.C. The specific details of the Big Ten schedule are yet to be announced.
The Wolverines are looking to build on their recent successes, including winning their last seven games against the Grizzlies and holding an 8-1 record.
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Frequently asked questions
Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is in the Big Ten Conference.
The Big Ten Conference was founded in 1896 and is one of the oldest conferences in the US.
The University of Michigan basketball scandal involved the University's men's basketball team and basketball team booster Ed Martin. The program was punished for NCAA rules violations, including payments made by booster Martin to several players to launder money from an illegal gambling operation.
The Purdue Boilermakers and the Wisconsin Badgers.
Some notable figures include Elmer Mitchell, the team's inaugural coach in 1917; Ernie McCoy, the school's third All-American; and Buntin, the first Wolverine drafted to the NBA in 1965.
