Michigan Receives NCAA No. 5 Seed, Will Face UC San Diego in Denver
3/16/2025 7:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- For the first time in three years and the 32nd time in program history, the No. 22-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament, earning the Big Ten's automatic bid as conference tournament champions, the NCAA Selection Committee announced Sunday (March 16).
The Wolverines (25-9, 14-6 Big Ten) were selected as the No. 5 seed in the South Region and will travel to Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. They begin their NCAA journey on Thursday (March 20) at 8 p.m. MT against No. 12 seed UC San Diego (30-4, 18-2 Big West). The game will be broadcast live on TBS.
If the Maize and Blue advance, it will face either No. 4 seed Texas A&M or No. 13 seed Yale in the second round on Saturday (March 22).
Michigan has been led this season by All-Big Ten honorees Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf. Goldin earned a spot on the conference's first team from media voting and a second-team spot from the coaches. Wolf was named to the second team by both the coaches and media. Goldin leads the team with an average of 16.7 points per game, while Wolf is averaging 13.1 points and a team-best 9.8 rebounds per contest. Tre Donaldson is also scoring in double figures at 11.6 points per game.
The Wolverines' 25 wins this season are the most for the program since the 2018-19 campaign, when former head coach John Beilein guided U-M to a 30-7 mark. David and Meredith Kaplan Men's Basketball Head Coach Dusty May has tied Brian Ellerbe (25-9, 1997-98) for the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history.
This marks the third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance as a head coach for May, who guided Florida Atlantic to the tournament in 2023 and 2024, including a Final Four appearance in 2023.
Michigan was the No. 3 seed at the Big Ten Tournament this weekend and advanced to its sixth conference tournament championship game with a quarterfinal win over No. 6 seed Purdue and a semifinal triumph over No. 2 seed Maryland on Donaldson's buzzer-beating layup. The Wolverines clinched their fourth Big Ten Tournament title with a 59-53 victory over No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the championship game earlier today. Goldin and Wolf were named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team, with Goldin earning Most Outstanding Player honors.
From one of the strongest conferences in the nation, Michigan is joined in the field of 68 by seven other Big Ten schools:
• No. 2 seed Michigan State (South Region)
• No. 3 seed Wisconsin (East Region)
• No. 4 seed Maryland (West Region)
• No. 4 seed Purdue (Midwest Region)
• No. 5 seed Oregon (East Region)
• No. 6 seed Illinois (Midwest Region)
• No. 7 seed UCLA (Midwest Region)
