Michigan basketball opens Dusty May era with rout of Oakland — and a lot of 3-pointers

Posted by Admin October 20, 2024 Basketball

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If Michigan basketball‘s first game under new head coach Dusty May is any indication, the Wolverines’ attack will definitely be different.

In the debut of May, hired from Florida Atlantic in the spring, U-M attempted 35 3s, one more than their 2-point attempts, in rolling over Oakland, 92-48, in an exhibition game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday night.

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The Wolverines hit 42.9% of their 3s, led by Alabama transfer Sam Walters’ 4-for-6 mark beyond the arc. Will Tschetter led the Wolverines with 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including 1-for-1 on 3s, and Walters added 12 points. Every U-M player who played in the opening 35 minutes but two — FAU transfer center Vladislav Goldin and freshman Durrell “Phat Phat” Brooks — attempted and made at least one 3.

The Golden Grizzlies, coming off a second-round NCAA tournament appearance last season, stayed with the Wolverines, coming off a program worst 8-24 record, for the first 11 minutes or so. But U-M closed the first half on a 22-6 run, started by a 3 by big Danny Wolf, a transfer from Yale. Wolf finished with 11 points (and two 3s) and 13 rebounds.

Tre Donaldson, a transfer from Auburn, led the Wolverines in minutes (30) while putting up nine points, six assists and eight rebounds.

The Golden Grizzlies were led by Jayson Woodrich, who hit just two of 12 3-point tries and five of 17 shots from the field, but went 6-for-6 at the free throw line to finish with 18 points in 30 minutes. DQ Cole, one of the returning stars from OU’s NCAA squad, had six points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes.

The Wolverines have one more exhibition on the schedule, with Toledo coming to Crisler Center on Friday night (7:30, Big Ten Network). They then open the regular season at home against Cleveland State on Nov. 4 (8 p.m., BTN).

The Golden Grizzlies also have another exhibition, against Rochester Christian University at 7 p.m. Friday before opening the 2024-25 season against Defiance College at home on Nov. 4.