It’s opening day for college basketball, and Michigan is about to start defending a national title.
The Wolverines tip off Monday night against Oakland, a matchup that comes with some familiarity. Michigan knows Greg Kampe and the Golden Grizzlies well, and this one should give the Wolverines an early test as they begin a new season. The expected starting group features Roddy Gayle, Elliot Cadeau, Trey McKenney, Moustapha Thiam and JP Estrella.
The women’s team is also set to get rolling soon, opening its season on Thursday against UCONN.
While basketball is just getting started in Ann Arbor, a former Wolverine is already making noise in the NBA. Yaxel Lendeborg turned in another huge performance Sunday, dropping 37 points with seven assists and four rebounds in the Warriors’ win.
Lendeborg went 6 of 11 from 3-point range, and the output marked the most points by a Golden State Warriors rookie since Steph Curry in 2010. Curry wasn’t on the floor, but it didn’t slow Lendeborg down. Through the season so far, he’s averaging 22.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc.
Michigan hockey also had a busy weekend in Columbus to open Big Ten play. The Wolverines dropped Saturday’s game 5-2 to Ohio State, with the Buckeyes adding a pair of empty-net goals late to pad the final margin. Jayden Perron saw his nine-game points streak come to an end in the loss.
Michigan answered on Sunday, though, pulling out a 5-4 overtime victory over Ohio State in a game that featured four lead changes. Adam Valentini delivered the winner with 4:17 left in overtime.
Michael Hage was all over the scoresheet, finishing with a goal and four assists for five points. Malcolm Spence scored twice, and J.P. Hurlbert also found the net as Michigan bounced back from its first loss of the season.
Top-ranked Michigan is now 8-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The Wolverines have next weekend off before returning to Yost Ice Arena for a two-game set against Penn State on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 13-14.
In Other News...
Michigan AD Search Just Got More Serious For Two Major Programs
Michigans search for its next athletic director is no longer a quiet background project. The university has brought in TurnkeyZRG to help replace outgoing Director of Athletics Warde Manuel, and the firms involvement gives the process a more formal, high-stakes feel as the school works toward a decision that will shape the departments next era. The search began on Oct. 1, 2026, and the eventual hire will be made by the university president and Board of Regents.
The timing matters because the new AD will inherit two of the schools most visible programs at a moment when both football and basketball are under plenty of scrutiny. Michigans coaching contracts already include performance benchmarks, so the next athletic director will not just be managing budgets and facilities, but also overseeing expectations that are built into the job. For a department with championship-level ambitions, this is the kind of hire that can ripple well beyond one office. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Defensive Standout In Rutgers Win Might Surprise Wolverines Fans
Michigans defense steadied itself after halftime in the 28-21 win over Rutgers, and the turnaround showed up in the kind of details that usually get coaches talking. The Scarlet Knights were held in check after the break, with Michigan preventing a completed pass in the second half while the front seven did much of the heavy lifting against the run and in the pocket.
Pro Football Focus grades pointed to an unexpected trio at the top of the defensive report card, with linebacker Chase Taylor and defensive tackles Jonah La'ea and Enow Etta drawing the best marks for their work in run defense, tackling and pass rushing. Michigan finished with 14 total quarterback pressures, a sign the pressure was there even if some secondary issues in coverage still need cleaning up. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Escaped Rutgers But One Wolverines Problem Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Michigan got out of Rutgers with a win, but the way it got there only sharpened the concern around a run game that has not looked nearly as sturdy as it should. Against a defense that had been vulnerable on the ground, the Wolverines managed just 3.6 yards per carry, their least effective rushing outing against Rutgers this season, and the offense again had to work harder than expected to move the ball and finish drives.
The defense did enough to keep Rutgers from stringing together much through the air, but two explosive plays still flipped field position and kept the game uncomfortable deep into the afternoon. Add in the continuing issues with scoring and kicking, and the broader picture is hard to miss: Michigan keeps finding itself in tight games, and the margin for error is shrinking. [Read more 🡒]