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St Louis Vs Michigan: Top-seeded Michigan Wolverines will continue its NCAA men’s tournament journey with a Round of 32 game that also carries a personal connection for head coach Dusty May.
Michigan’s next opponent is the ninth-seeded Saint Louis Billikens, coached by May’s longtime friend Josh Schertz.
The two coaches first met years ago while working at different levels of college basketball.
Their professional relationship slowly turned into a strong friendship built on shared ideas and mutual respect.
They regularly discussed coaching strategies and game planning throughout their careers.
Over time, the trust between them grew to an unusual level for the profession. Both coaches were comfortable sharing practice film and even elements of their playbooks.
Such openness is rare in college basketball, where most coaches protect their systems closely.
Now, the longtime friends will compete against each other with a place in the Sweet 16 on the line.
Dusty May acknowledged that sharing practice footage between college basketball programs is not common, but said his professional relationship with Josh Schertz is different from most coaching relationships.
Speaking during a Friday press conference, May explained that a small network of coaches regularly exchange ideas and training materials.
He said his connection with Schertz is close enough that they often communicate through their video staff instead of contacting each other directly.
According to May, one program’s video coordinator may simply text the other to request recent practice footage or workout clips.
May said the exchanges are not about copying plays directly but about studying concepts and developing new ideas.
He explained that watching another team’s practice can sometimes inspire adjustments or new strategies.
The collaboration highlights the strong professional trust between the two coaches as they prepare to face each other in the NCAA tournament.
A place in the Sweet 16 will be on the line when the Michigan Wolverines face the Saint Louis Billikens on Saturday in the NCAA tournament Round of 32.
The matchup is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on CBS.
Both teams are coming off dominant offensive performances in the first round.
Saint Louis defeated the Georgia Bulldogs by a score of 102–77. Michigan followed with a 101–80 victory over the Howard Bison.
Michigan head coach Dusty May said he expects a highly tactical game because both coaching staffs prepare in similar ways.
He said the matchup could resemble a chess match due to the strategic approach on both sides.
After Michigan’s win on Thursday, May returned to the arena to watch Saint Louis play and scout the upcoming opponent.
He later shared a light moment with Saint Louis head coach Josh Schertz, joking that his team should have led by more at halftime.
Saint Louis held a 17-point halftime lead in its first-round victory.
Despite the friendship between the two coaches, the focus will now shift to the high-stakes tournament game with a Sweet 16 spot at stake.
Josh Schertz said having another head coach to relate to has been important during his career, noting that the role can sometimes feel isolating.
He said Dusty May has been a valuable mentor and sounding board over the years.
Schertz is in his second season leading the Saint Louis Billikens and is appearing in the NCAA Division I men’s tournament for the first time.
May is also in his second year as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines.
Their relationship began when Schertz was coaching at Division II Lincoln Memorial and May was coaching at Florida Atlantic.
May first became aware of Lincoln Memorial while scouting a player who was transferring from the program.
He was impressed by how organized and well-prepared the team looked, which led him to reach out to Schertz.
The two coaches stayed in touch and their professional relationship gradually turned into a close friendship.
Over the years, they spent long hours discussing basketball strategy, team building, and coaching philosophy.
During one visit, they spent nearly an entire day talking basketball in May’s office, a moment both coaches still remember as part of the foundation of their friendship.
Dusty May said he once enjoyed the fact that he and Josh Schertz were coaching at different levels of college basketball, which meant their teams were unlikely to ever meet in a game.
At that time, May was coaching in Boca Raton while Schertz was working in Division II, allowing their friendship to grow without the pressure of direct competition.
Now the situation has changed as their teams prepare to face each other in the NCAA tournament.
May said he does not feel uneasy about coaching against someone he considers a close friend.
He explained that if his team were to lose, he would rather it happen against a program led by a coach he respects and believes runs things the right way.
May added that competing against strong programs and respected coaches can help a team improve, even in difficult moments.
However, he made it clear that his focus remains on winning and advancing in the tournament.
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