Michigan had to grind a little for its second exhibition win of the preseason, but it got the job done Friday night, outlasting Oregon State 98-92.
The Wolverines leaned on the same one-two punch that has already started to shape the conversation around this group. Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, who combined to play just 17 minutes in the first half, still steered the offense when it mattered most. Add in transfer big man Moustapha Thiam, and Michigan’s top three scorers accounted for 64 points.
That kind of production was enough to survive a feisty Oregon State team, but it also left Michigan with a clear message before the regular season begins Nov. 2: there is still plenty to clean up.
One of the clearest bright spots came from Kenny Noland, who was pressed into a much bigger role than expected when Cadeau and McKenney picked up early fouls and sat for the final eight minutes of the opening half. The graduate transfer from Columbia handled the pressure well, and then some.
Noland finished the first half plus-8 in 12 minutes, scoring six points on 3-for-6 shooting and handing out two assists. He ended the night plus-18 in 23 minutes.
“(Noland) was doing everything well,” Cadeau said. “He wasn’t turning the ball over, and he was very efficient shooting the ball, too, so that’s definitely what we need from another point guard.”
Noland missed both of his 3-point attempts, but he still looked comfortable attacking the lane and finishing at the rim against Oregon State’s size. More importantly, he kept the ball secure and gave Michigan steady guard play when the rotation got tested.
Boynton Jr. liked what he saw from the veteran transfer, though he also made it clear the Wolverines don’t want to rely on that kind of workload every night.
“We watched tape of I don’t even know how many people and (Noland) was kind of the perfect person in terms of super high floor, but somebody who’s been through some battles, who’s seen some things, but also has an appreciation for being here at Michigan and competing at a really high level, and he brings a high degree of intellect to the game,” Boynton said. “He can shoot the ball.
He scored it really well in his previous stop. We won’t ask him to do that as much, but on a night like tonight, where we need him to, he’s capable of doing it.”
Michigan’s issues showed up on the other end, especially after halftime, when Oregon State kept finding ways to stay in the fight. The Wolverines escaped with the win, but the defensive side of the floor still looks like unfinished business.
Even so, Friday belonged to the trio at the heart of Michigan’s offense. Cadeau, McKenney, and Thiam gave the Wolverines enough firepower to survive a tight exhibition and keep building toward opening night.
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