Michigan takes the court for the first time under new head coach Dusty May today (5:00 p.m., BTN+ , tickets ) against Oakland at Little Caesars Arena.
The Golden Grizzlies were one of the darlings of March Madness last year with their upset win over Kentucky, and they will undoubtedly be excited to get an early-season shot at Michigan. Oakland checks in at 173rd in KenPom’s preseason ratings, 157th in his HUMAN poll, and 152nd in Torvik’s ratings, and should provide a competent October test despite roster turnover.
May admitted that he’s always played games like this in a closed scrimmage environment, but he’s excited about the competitive spirit that playing a charity exhibition in front of fans will bring.
“Typically, you want to play this game in a closed scrimmage, so you can play longer than 40 minutes, and you can get more reps, and you’re more focused on just development,” May explained. “But obviously, in front of our fans, we never want to lose. So there’d be more of a competitive spirit, I think, than there would be in a closed scrimmage.”
The game doesn’t count, but it’s a perfect opportunity to soft launch the Dusty May era of Michigan hoops. Here’s what to watch for on Sunday evening.
Dusty May Promo!
The post What to watch for: Michigan vs. Oakland (Exhibition) appeared first on UM Hoops.com .