The Michigan Wolverines are scheduled to resume their 2025-26 season on Thursday night at Crisler Arena against the Penn State Nittany Lions, a team that gave them all they could handle in their first meeting this season.
The Wolverines are coming off of arguably their biggest win of the season against arch-rival Michigan State in East Lansing, a game that cemented head coach Dusty May as a program legend for his level-headed approach in dealing with hecklers among the hometown Spartans crowd.
May has since found himself in a back-and-forth with MSU head coach Tom Izzo amid allegations of dirty play against Spartans star guard Jeremy Fears, Jr. and other topics.
On Tuesday, May took time out to speak with former Wolverines star and national champion Terry Mills on 94.7 WCSX Detroit during which he detailed his competitions with a “psycho” former Michigan State assistant coach during his days with the Indiana Hoosiers.
May and His “Psycho” Rival
May spoke about former Michigan State assistant coach Dane Fife, a Michigan native, ex-Tom Izzo assistant coach and the brother of former Wolverines guard Dugan Fife, calling him a “psycho competitor.”
“He’s as psycho of a competitor as I’ve been around,” May said.
The former Hoosiers guard and May went at each other in pickup games during their days in Bloomington when pickup games got intense.
May said he and Fife forged a “pick up game dynasty” but it didn’t come without hardships as the Wolverines head coach said there was a point where “one us of would have killed each other” to win a pickup game.
May’s Zen Approach Helps Wolverines
May’s zen-like approach was on full-display against the Spartans this past Friday night during which he relaxed cheerfully and unbothered near a rabid student section that had it out for him from the moment he stepped on the Breslin Center court.
May told Mills he honed his ability to be calm under pressure as a teacher and a leader through repeated hard lessons.
“It was probably closer to my late 20s than my early 20s,” May said about when he finally managed to get the best of his anger.
May added that he has cooled off during his coaching days, becoming less rigid and less forceful toward his players as his coaching career has unfolded, culminating in last year’s Sweet 16 run and this year’s quest for Big Ten and national championships.
Michigan has a chance to continue its winning ways at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday before Sunday’s 1 p.m. tilt in Columbus, Ohio against fellow rival Ohio State.
Related: Kyle Whittingham Won’t Beat Ohio State or Make CFP, Ex-Buckeyes Star Says
Related: Kyle Whittingham’s Portal Philosophy Questioned After Sunday Press Conference
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.