The exhibition slate is over, and the No. 16 Michigan men’s basketball team now turns to Oakland with one clear strength showing through the early wobble: the Wolverines can shoot.
Sophomore guard Trey McKenney has been one of the most reliable scoring threats Michigan has had so far. He poured in 21 points against Eastern Michigan, added 18 more against Oregon State, and only had a quieter outing against No.
10 Houston. Even then, his game has stood out for the way he creates clean looks.
At 6-foot-4, he has the size to drive defenders back and carve out space, which becomes especially valuable against Oakland.
“(The Golden Grizzlies) play a weird type of zone,” McKenney said Thursday. “It’s going to force us to be smart and think a little bit. We’ll probably try to get in transition more so we can get easier looks instead of slowing it down in the half court.”
That kind of pace could suit him well. Oakland’s zone tends to invite quick decisions, and McKenney’s release gives Michigan a chance to cash in before the defense gets fully set.
It also helps when the Golden Grizzlies collapse and then scramble back out toward the perimeter. Michigan already showed how damaging that can be last season, when it put up the most first-half points in school history with 69 against Oakland.
Of the Wolverines’ 121 points in that game, only 46 came in the paint.
Michigan coach Mike Boynton Jr. sees the challenge a little differently, but he’s on the same page about the test waiting ahead.
“It’s a hard zone to describe because it looks different in almost every possession, in some instances,” Boynton said. “ … It’s certainly unique, but it’ll be a great test for us because it forces you to work together to find good shots.”
That means Michigan’s offense will need more than one answer. McKenney gives the Wolverines a perimeter creator who can attack without much buildup, but Boynton also pointed to graduate forward Jalen Reed as another option who can help organize things when the backcourt needs a breather.
“I think (graduate forward Jalen Reed) can be a hub for us offensively in the case where (senior guard Elliot Cadeau) or Trey, two primary guys, may be in foul trouble or need a break,” Boynton said. “Just because of his size, he’s probably not going to be pressured as much.”
Reed has not filled up the stat sheet yet, but he fits the way Michigan wants to play. The same goes for graduate guard Kenny Noland, who held firm against Oregon State when Cadeau was in foul trouble. That kind of depth matters when the Wolverines need someone to steady the offense if Cadeau comes off the floor.
Michigan may have spotted flaws during its exhibition run, but it still has multiple players it trusts to navigate Oakland’s zone, whether that means pushing the tempo or leaning on the perimeter game.
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