May vs. Schertz: Friendship Takes Center Stage in Michigan-Saint Louis Sweet 16 Matchup

Buffalo, N.Y. – As the Michigan Wolverines advance in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, their Sweet 16 matchup against Saint Louis carries a unique storyline: a close friendship between the two head coaches, Dusty May and Josh Schertz. The pair have developed an uncommon level of trust, regularly sharing practice film and playbooks, a testament to years of exchanging ideas and mutual respect.

A Bond Forged Through Shared Ideas

May and Schertz first connected whereas coaching at different levels, building a rapport that extends beyond typical professional courtesy. Their relationship has evolved to the point where they openly share valuable resources, including practice footage and strategic playbooks.

“It’s probably very unusual [to share practice footage],” May admitted during a press conference on March 21, 2026. “There’s a group of us that share – and actually, he and I – we’re close enough where I don’t even call him. I’ll shoot his video guy, or he’ll shoot my video guy a text and say, ‘Can you send me last week’s workouts?’ We’re toying with this, we’re thinking about this concept. It might just spur an idea.”

A Sweet 16 Clash

With a Sweet 16 berth on the line, the friendly competition takes center stage on Saturday at 12:10 p.m. ET on CBS. Both teams demonstrated offensive prowess in their first-round victories, with Saint Louis defeating Georgia 102-77 and Michigan rolling past Howard 101-80.

Mutual Respect and Preparation

May anticipates a challenging game, describing it as “a great chess match” due to the similarities in their coaching philosophies and preparation styles. He even joked with Schertz after Michigan’s first-round win about Saint Louis’s substantial halftime lead against Georgia.

Schertz acknowledged the value of having a peer who understands the demands of a head coaching position. “It’s always nice when you have somebody who’s in the same chair as you,” Schertz stated. “It’s hard. Sometimes being a head coach can be lonely. … [May has] been an incredible resource for me.”

A History of Collaboration

The connection between May and Schertz dates back to when Schertz was coaching at Division II Lincoln Memorial and May was at Florida Atlantic. May initially reached out after observing the well-coached team from Lincoln Memorial while scouting a player. Their relationship blossomed from there, including a memorable ten-hour session in May’s office dedicated to discussing coaching strategies.

“I loved it when he was at a Division II, we were different levels, and I was down in Boca Raton, because this would never happen where we had to compete against each other,” May said.

Despite the competitive stakes, May expressed a willingness to accept defeat if it comes at the hands of a coach he deeply respects. “If we’re going to lose, I wish to lose to a guy that does it at the level that he and they do it. And hopefully we don’t, but if we do, then you want to do it to somebody who you’re going to be better for it.”