The 1969–70 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represented the University of Michigan in intercollegiate college basketball during the 1969–70 season. The team played its home games at Crisler Arena on the school's campus in

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...

. Under the direction of head coach Johnny Orr, the team finished tied for fourth in the Big Ten Conference. The team was unranked the entire season in the Associated Press Top Twenty Poll, and it also ended the season unranked in the final UPI Coaches' Poll. The team lost to all three ranked opponents that it faced. Rudy Tomjanovich served as team

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and earned team MVP. Over the course of the season Tomjanovich led the conference in rebounding with a 16.2 average in conference games. Tomjanovich was a 1970 NCAA All-American. During the season, Tomjanovich broke

Bill Buntin William L. Buntin (May 5, 1942 – May 9, 1968) was an American basketball player. He played collegiately for the University of Michigan and in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Buntin died of a heart attack at age 26. College career Bun ...

's school career records for total (1037) and average rebounds (13.13) by posting 1039 and 14.43. This record still stands. He also set the current school record for single-season 30-point games with 13, surpassing

Cazzie Russell Cazzie Lee Russell (born June 7, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. An NBA All-Star, he was selected by the New York Knicks with the first overall pick of the 1966 NBA draft. He won an NBA championship with ...

's total of nine set four years earlier. Although Michigan basketball does not officially keep records of assists before 1977 (noting in the record book that records are only available since 1977), Mark Henry was credited as the first Michigan Wolverines player on record to total 12 assists in a game on January 24, 1970, against the Michigan State Spartans. No Wolverine on record would surpass 12 assists in a game until Mark Bodnar did so on December 13, 1980.

Team players drafted into the NBA

Three players from this team were selected in the NBA draft.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1969-70 Michigan Wolverines Men's Basketball Team Michigan Michigan Wolverines men's basketball seasons Michigan Wolverines baske Michigan Wolverines baske