Michigan’s foreign tour has opened with more turbulence than the Wolverines expected, and the first two exhibition games have already revealed both the upside and the headaches in Mike Boynton Jr.’s new group.
Michigan dropped its opener on Sunday, 96-84, to Lithuania’s national team after once leading by 12 points. On Monday, the shorthanded Wolverines came up short again, this time 82-77 against Lithuania’s B Team. With one game still to go on Thursday, the trip has already given the staff a rough first look at how this roster functions when the pressure and the whistles start piling up.
The biggest bright spot so far has been on the glass. Michigan was one of the nation’s best rebounding teams last season with its three-headed frontcourt, and the expectation was that the Wolverines would be strong again in that area after adding Cincinnati big man Moustapha Thiam and J.P.
Estrella. Even without Thiam, who was rolled up on in Game 1 and left after playing less than six minutes, and without LSU transfer Jalen Reed, Michigan still pulled down 33 rebounds in one game and 43 in the other.
The speed on this team has helped them crash the boards, and a few younger players have answered the call.
That youth movement has been hard to miss. Brandon McCoy Jr., Quinn Costello, Joseph Hartman, and Marcus Moller have all looked like players who can factor into the rotation this season. Costello and McCoy Jr. in particular have stood out against professional competition, while Moller has shown off an impressive shot and Hartman flashed the ability to create his own offense in Game 1.
The tour was supposed to help the staff mix and match lineups and see how the newcomers fit together, but that part has been limited by availability. Ricky Liburd and Jalen Reed have not played in either game, and Thiam’s night ended almost as soon as it began. That has made it tough for Boynton Jr. to evaluate certain combinations or get a real sense of how the roster will look once the season starts.
Elliot Cadeau has been one of the more interesting storylines through two games. He has fouled out in both contests, and Michigan as a whole has piled up 28 fouls in one game and 22 in the other.
Game 1 was especially messy on that front, with Cadeau, Trey McKenney, and J.P. Estrella all fouling out.
McCoy Jr. also ran into foul trouble, and then fouled out in the second game as well. That kind of foul count doesn’t just hurt the scoreboard - it also cuts off the chance to experiment with rotations.
Still, Cadeau’s offensive growth has been obvious. He’s organizing the offense, getting teammates involved, and his three-point shot looks like it’s moving in the right direction.
In the second game, with Trey McKenney not playing, Cadeau hit three of six from deep. The physicality will have to come down once the season begins, but he looks set up for a big second year as Michigan’s point guard.
There was also plenty of anticipation around Moustapha Thiam and Ricky Liburd heading overseas. Thiam made a quick impression, scoring six fast points before leaving after the ankle roll on Cadeau’s play.
Liburd’s absence has been more of a surprise, since he was expected to play a major role this season and could compete with McCoy Jr. for a starting job or serve as the sixth man. Michigan has one game left on Thursday, and it will be worth watching whether either player can get back on the floor.
One other situation remains unsettled: Columbia guard Kenny Noland, who committed to Michigan before the team left for Lithuania. A new court ruling in the NCAA’s favor has made Noland ineligible for now, though he could still seek his own temporary restraining order against the NCAA. At this point, his status remains unclear.
For all the rough edges, the talent is there. Boynton Jr. will need to calm McCoy Jr. down a bit, but the upside is obvious.
Some early mistakes are part of the process, and they’re coachable. With Cadeau in foul trouble, the tour also offered a look at the backup point guard situation.
McCoy Jr. handled some of that load in Game 1 but was shaky, and Joseph Hartman appears to be the best option for now, even if Boynton Jr. would prefer a veteran in that role.
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