Even as Duke celebrated a hard-fought victory and the No. 1 ranking, one of college basketball’s most respected voices declared the losing team, Michigan, was still the best in the nation.

Time and again, Jon Scheyer has proven he belongs among the best in the country–something he showed when his team took down Dusty May’s No. 1 Michigan. But when you’ve coached one of the most talented rosters in recent memory and still fallen short of a national title, the reaction on social media was always going to be harsher.

That was evident once again when award-winning analyst Matt Norlander shared his verdict on who the best team in the country is.

“I still favor Michigan. I know Duke just won that game on a neutral floor. I get that,” Matt Norlander said. “It was a one-off. If they played a seven-game series, which thankfully they don’t in college basketball, I’d favor Michigan to win a series against Duke, and I’d have Michigan narrowly ahead of Arizona, whose style I absolutely love. So at this point, projecting forward to the tournament–we’re still a little under three weeks away from Selection Sunday–my opinion can change, but right now I’d still vote Michigan as the best overall team in the country.”

In the latest AP Poll, Duke climbed from No. 3 to No. 1 following an impressive 68–63 win over Michigan. It was a game in which Duke dominated the major categories, outrebounding Dusty May’s side by 13 and scoring 34 points in the paint compared to Michigan’s 24. The Blue Devils also posted a higher field-goal percentage and shot better from beyond the three-point line.

Few teams have defended Michigan at the rim the way Duke did. The Wolverines came in averaging 28.8 rim attempts per game, according to The Athletic, but they were held to just 12-of-19 finishing inside against the Blue Devils. That performance was enough to earn them the top spot, but Matt Norlander still has his own reasons for thinking otherwise.

Ignore the Duke loss for a moment. Since their surprising home defeat to Wisconsin on January 10, their only other loss this season, Dusty May’s Wolverines stacked up 10 double-digit wins. Five of those were against top-25 teams, with three decided by 30 or more. That kind of dominance against elite competition is precisely why Michigan held the No. 1 spot before the loss to Duke.

Add to that the fact that Dusty May’s team still holds the nation’s top NET ranking, boasts the second-best offense nationally, and, according to KenPom, has the best defense in the country as well. Statistically, the argument tilts his way strongly — especially considering he’s being measured against a coach who’s regularly had rosters stacked with top-tier talent, a luxury May hasn’t necessarily enjoyed.

That said, Coach May will be eager for his team to move past the disappointment of the Duke loss and shift focus to the games ahead, as we now approach the business end of the regular season and March Madness is just weeks away.

Concerns Remain for Dusty May’s Michigan

You’d think the Duke game would be Michigan’s last concern. But in a stacked Big Ten boasting four other ranked teams, the schedule never really gets any easier.

Before the Big Ten tournament tips off, the Wolverines still have four major games left, beginning with Minnesota at home, followed by a top-of-the-table clash against No. 10 Illinois on the road. That matchup will be anything but easy for Dusty May’s side. ESPN even gives both teams a 50–50 chance to win, which tells you everything you need to know about how tight it could be.

But hold on! There are even tougher games on the way. The Wolverines will close their regular season at home against in-state rival No. 13 Michigan State. With bragging rights on the line and two of the best coaches in the game– Tom Izzo and Dusty May–going head-to-head, you can expect the game to be anything but easy.

So which side are you on? Let us know in the comments down below!