Dusty May’s special bond with former IU head coach Mike Davis INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — This is a special weekend for University of Michigan head men’s basketball coach Dusty May. Not only is he coaching the Wolverines in the Final Four, but he’s doing so in his home state of Indiana. “Coming full circle obviously being able to participate in this game with our group,” May said. It’s a far cry from the year 2000, when May attended the Final Four in Indianapolis. That year, May was a graduating senior at Indiana University. He was in Indy that weekend to bug coaches about a job after graduating. “Myself and a group of managers were up just harassing coaches trying to figure out how we could get any position in coaching,” May said. One of the coaches who saw something in May was former IU head coach Mike Davis. Davis got to know May when May was a student manager in Bloomington under Bob Knight. Davis was on Knight’s coaching staff during that time. “Him having success is no surprise to me,” Davis said. “He’s a competitor, a real big competitor, so I’m just proud of him.” After Davis took over as IU head coach, he hired May as a video coordinator prior to the 2002 season. He then would move him to an administrative assistant soon thereafter. The two of them became close, spending hours in the car together going on recruiting trips. That’s where Davis said May earned the nickname of “road warrior.” “We went everywhere together,” May said. “We would hit five, six cities in a day. We’d cover multiple home visits and school visits in one day. And it just became a funny nickname.” Those long road trips are something Davis said he will always remember. “We stayed on the road, in the car driving,” Davis said. “Had thousands and thousands of conversations. He was a basketball guy. But he was a relentless worker.” The duo worked together even after their time at IU. Once Davis became head coach at UAB, he hired May once again, this time as an assistant coach. ...read more read less