This should be a great non-conference test for the Wolverines.
Two of the hottest names who switched jobs during this offseason’s coaching carousel, Dusty May and John Calipari, will play against one another next season.
May and the Michigan Wolverines are set to face Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks in the 2024 Jimmy V Classic, according to a report from CBS Sports College Basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
NEWS: Arkansas will play Michigan and Tennessee will face Miami in the 2024 Jimmy V Classic at MSG, according to multiple sources.https://t.co/I6PFMudij2
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 30, 2024
May will be going against a familiar face in that matchup, with former Florida Atlantic guard Johnell Davis committing to Arkansas. May and Michigan were reportedly linked to the Owls’ former leading scorer before he signed with Arkansas. Davis will face a former teammate in new Michigan center Vlad Goldin .
A date for the game has yet to be set, but as Rothstein pointed out, the Jimmy V Classic is usually played in early December.
Tennessee and Miami are also set to face each other in the non-conference showcase.
The game will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, one of the legendary venues in all of basketball. The Wolverines had success the last time they played there; arguably Michigan’s most impressive win last season — which isn’t saying much considering U-M won eight games — was at MSG when the Wolverines took down Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Red Storm in November.
The last time the Wolverines faced a team coached by John Calipari, it was across the pond, with Michigan losing to Kentucky in London in 2022-23.
This isn’t the only non-conference test for the Wolverines we’ve seen reported this offseason. We do know Michigan will face two of South Carolina, Xavier and Virginia Tech in the Fort Myers Tip-Off from Nov. 25-27. We also know who Michigan’s Big Ten opponents will be , including two games each against Michigan State , Purdue and Rutgers .
The best way to test your team early in the season is to schedule games at neutral sites against good teams at the start of the season. Just ask Tom Izzo, who has been doing that with the Spartans for decades now.
Props to May and Michigan’s staff for taking the initiative and being willing to test themselves in non-conference play. This matchup should be able to help May learn what he has with this roster full of new faces.