Michigan basketball’s first exhibition game is suddenly here, and Mike Boynton Jr. brought a couple of encouraging roster updates with it.
The Wolverines open the exhibition slate Sunday against Eastern Michigan, with Oregon State and Houston also on the schedule before the regular season begins November 2 against Oakland. For a program that is the defending college basketball national champion, the transition to Boynton has been as smooth as it could reasonably be, especially with the timing of the move. He’s on a short-term deal, which means the results will speak for themselves one way or the other.
Boynton has already done the important part: keeping the roster together. Michigan did take a hit when Brandon McCoy suffered a season-ending injury, but there’s been better news on the availability front.
Roddy Gayle is expected to be on the floor Sunday.
“There’s an aspect of this that’s new for everybody,” Boynton said. “This is uncharted territory.
Right now he’s eligible. We’re functioning as if he’s eligible.
He’s going to play Sunday unless somebody calls me Saturday at midnight or before 2:00 p.m. Sunday.
He’s going to play Sunday, and we’ll just function until we’re told otherwise."
Gayle is likely to start at the three, and his value to Michigan showed up during the NCAA tournament, especially on defense. He also shot the ball better down the stretch and, as Boynton pointed out, is a better shooter than he’s often credited as being. At Ohio State, he averaged 13 points per game as a sophomore.
Another name to watch is Jalen Reed. If he’s cleared, that would be another major lift for the Wolverines.
The former LSU starter is 6-foot-10, brings real talent, and would give Michigan needed depth at the four and the five. He’d likely come off the bench, but his presence would matter.
Reed’s 2025-26 season ended with an injury, but he still averaged 9.5 points per game and hit 42 percent from 3-point range in 18 minutes a night. Boynton said Reed still needs clearance, but the possibility is there. Getting him back during exhibition play would give him a chance to shake off rust before the games start counting for real.
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The tune-up slate does not stop there, either. Michigan will also host Oregon State and face Houston in additional exhibitions before the real games begin Nov. 2 against Oakland, giving the Wolverines a compact but meaningful stretch to sort out rotations, roles and the feel of a team trying to follow one banner season with another. [Read more 🡒]