Michigan’s preseason tune-up turned into a track meet at Crisler Center on Friday, and the Wolverines had just enough punch to outlast Oregon State 98-93 behind a big night from Elliot Cadeau.
Cadeau ran the show from start to finish, piling up 27 points and eight assists as Michigan kept finding answers every time the Beavers threatened to flip the script. Moustapha Thiam added a strong all-around line with 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Trey McKenney chipped in 18 points.
Michigan opened the game with energy on the defensive end, getting a steal from Ricky Liburd that led to a dunk at the other end. Oregon State answered with a 7-0 spurt, but Liburd later fed Thiam for a slam to keep the Wolverines close early.
McKenney then took over for a stretch, knocking down a three and a turnaround jumper before Thiam set him up with a behind-the-back pass for a layup. The game was tied 13-13 with 13:05 left in the half, and Michigan began to tilt things in its favor from there.
Thiam was active everywhere, scoring six straight points and blocking a shot that sparked a Quinn Costello three. Cadeau then found J.P. Estrella for an alley-oop, pushing Michigan in front 24-22.
The Wolverines’ best run of the half came soon after. They ripped off 13 unanswered points to go ahead 37-25 with 4:32 remaining, getting threes from Estrella and Thiam plus a pair of layups from Kenny Noland. Oregon State, though, closed the half with back-to-back threes to cut it to 45-42.
Michigan’s advantage at the break was built on the kinds of possessions that can swing an exhibition: a 20-2 edge in points off turnovers, plus margins of 24-10 in the paint and 6-2 in fast-break points.
Cadeau took over in the second half. He either scored or assisted on 12 straight Michigan points early in the period, including back-to-back baskets that put the Wolverines up 54-53 with 15:15 to go. Still, Oregon State kept landing punches of its own.
Legend Smiley and Deshawn Gory helped the Beavers surge back, with the pair connecting on three straight shots to put Oregon State ahead 63-61. Michigan answered again, this time with McKenney drilling a three-pointer for the lead and Costello following with another triple to make it 72-67.
The back-and-forth finally broke in Michigan’s favor when Cadeau buried a go-ahead three, then set up Thiam for an alley-oop on the next trip. He wasn’t done. On the following possession, Cadeau slipped into the lane for a layup that made it 87-81 with 3:51 left.
Oregon State kept pressing, but Michigan had the final burst it needed. McKenney hit a mid-range jumper, Cadeau scored again inside, and the Wolverines moved ahead 91-88 with 1:30 remaining. Cadeau then iced it by hitting four straight free throws.
For Oregon State, Gory led the way with 20 points and eight rebounds. Smiley finished with 17 points and three rebounds, while Josiah Lake and Chris Johnson added 13 points apiece.
Michigan’s stat sheet was rounded out by Costello with 10 points, Estrella with nine points and seven rebounds, and Noland with six points and three assists.
The Wolverines will finish preseason play against Houston on Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. in Grand Rapids.
In Other News...
Michigans Offensive Line Just Became A Real Penn State Concern
Michigans injury report entering the Penn State game adds another layer of uncertainty to a matchup already carrying plenty of weight. The Wolverines offensive line, in particular, looks like the area under the most pressure, with the list of players out, doubtful or questionable growing from what it had been earlier in the week. For a team that wants to control the line of scrimmage, that kind of turnover up front can change the feel of the entire offense before a snap is even taken.
Jake Guarnera and Brady Norton being listed as questionable is the part Penn State will be watching most closely, because it keeps Michigans protection and run-game plans from feeling settled. There is at least some precedent for those designations not ending in absences, since players such as Dom Nichols and John Henry Daley were questionable in prior games and still managed to play. Even so, the uncertainty leaves Michigan with real lineup decisions to sort through and gives Penn State reason to think the Wolverines front might not be at full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Gets A Different Penn State Test Than Anyone Expected
Penn State came into the season with the kind of profile that usually makes for a difficult November opponent: a new coach in Matt Campbell, enough continuity in the program to think about the College Football Playoff, and a schedule that looked manageable on paper. Instead, the Nittany Lions have stumbled into a three-game losing streak, with the latest setback coming in a late loss to Wisconsin after a road trip to USC already deepened the concern around where this team is headed.
The most jarring result may have been the one at Northwestern, where Penn State could not answer a strong rushing attack and wound up in a multi-score defeat, something that has not been common for the program in recent seasons. For Michigan, that changes the texture of this matchup a bit. It is still a name opponent, but it is not quite the version of Penn State anyone expected when the schedule was made. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans First Big Ten Win May Depend On Two Lingering Problems
Michigan heads into its matchup with Penn State still searching for its first Big Ten win, and the path to getting one has been shaped by the same issues that have lingered through the conference opener stretch. The Wolverines have had trouble generating consistent production on the ground, which has made it harder to control games the way they usually want to, and that leaves some room for adjustment as they prepare for a Penn State team dealing with its own offensive frustrations.
Penn State has leaned more heavily on quarterback Rocco Becht because its running game has not provided enough help, and that puts more pressure on both lines of scrimmage to decide the game. Michigans outlook also comes with a defensive concern, since injuries to key players could affect its pass rush, adding another layer of uncertainty to a matchup where one clean answer on either side may be enough to swing the result. [Read more 🡒]