On Monday night in Crisler Center, it was all Wolverines.
The No. 7 Michigan men’s basketball team obliterated Oakland in its season opener, winning 121-78. The Wolverines’ 121 points is tied for fifth-most in a single game in program history, and their 19 made 3-pointers ties the program record.
From the jump, Michigan was rolling, going on a 20-0 run early in the first half to set the tone. The Golden Grizzlies had no answer for the Wolverines’ fast-paced attack, and by the time the buzzer sounded for halftime, Michigan had already accrued a 69-38 lead.
The Wolverines were led in scoring by sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr., who collected 24 points on 10-for-12 shooting. Freshman guard Trey McKenney added 21 points in his collegiate debut, shooting 7-for-10 from the floor.
Here are five key takeaways from Michigan’s dominant showing…
Michigan’s Frontcourt Is Quite Good
The Wolverines have quite the three-headed monster roaming the paint in graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg, junior center Aday Mara, and Johnson. Lendeborg didn’t start the game, and played limited minutes due to a hand injury, but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best players in the entire country.
But opposing defenses can’t just focus on Lendeborg, because Mara and Johnson looked excellent out there as well. Both played only 20 minutes, but Johnson led all scorers with 24 points, and Mara added 12 of his own along with five blocks.
Graduate forward Will Tschetter, too, adds significant depth and reliability off the bench, especially as a floor spacer.
Oakland isn’t as big, nor as physical, as the competition Michigan’s frontcourt will face come conference play, but the group seems well-prepared to take the challenge head-on.
Turnover Numbers Are Encouraging
The Wolverines only turned the ball over eight times the entire game. In 37 games last season, Michigan tallied single-digit turnovers just four times all season.
In both of their exhibition games this season, the Wolverines coughed up at least 20 turnovers, and it seemed like giveaways were once again going to haunt them. It’s a limited sample size, but only eight turnovers in a fast-paced game is a very encouraging sign.
If the Wolverines can continue to value possessions and take care of the ball like they did Monday night, they make themselves exponentially tougher to take down.
Michigan Likes To Run
Particularly in the first half, Michigan made it a point to push the tempo. Whether off a made-basket or a rebound, the Wolverines wasted very little time in pushing the ball up the floor.
It’s a staple of head coach Dusty May’s offenses. He likes to have his teams push the pace and not let opposing defenses get set. Sometimes, this can lead to an increase in turnover rate, but against the Grizzlies, it worked exactly as May had hoped.
Not every game will feature 69 first-half points for the Wolverines, but the number is a testament to their tempo. Even when the competition gets stiffer, expect Michigan to play with pace.
Pick Your Poison, Michigan Has Options
Michigan is far from one-dimensional on offense, with seven players reaching double figures in points Monday night. At all times, each player on the floor is a threat to put the ball in the basket.
It’s one of the Wolverines’ biggest strengths this year. Lendeborg might lead them in scoring on many nights, but there are six or seven guys that are capable of scoring 20-plus points on any given night — if a team stops one guy, there’s another right next to him capable of filling it up.
McKenney flashed his scoring chops, dropping in 21 in his debut. Lendeborg, Johnson, Mara, and Tschetter have all proven capable of scoring in bunches. Senior guard Roddy Gayle Jr. and graduate guard Nimari Burnett both led Michigan in scoring in several games last year, and even junior guard Elliot Cadeau can rack up buckets.
The Wolverines aren’t going to rely on one player to carry the team, and that makes them dangerous.
Cadeau Was In Control
While he didn’t have his best night scoring wise, Cadeau looked very comfortable manning the offense as a point guard. He’s one of the best passers in the country, and he showed it, collecting a whopping 12 assists in 25 minutes of play, all while turning the ball over just once.
Cadeau is one of Michigan’s biggest x-factors. Point guard play is uber-important in college basketball, and this roster lacks true point guard depth behind Cadeau. So, the Wolverines needed him to really own that role, and he sure did Monday night.
