Michigan
Cincinnati (ex)
Wolverines to Host Cincinnati in Preseason Exhibition
10/16/2025 4:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team will host Cincinnati on Friday (Oct. 17) at Crisler Center, giving fans their first look at the 2025-26 Wolverines in the first of two preseason exhibition games. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. and will be streamed on B1G+, with Ethan Sommers, Zach Edwards and Jaden Fode on the call.
Notes
• Now in his second year at the helm, head coach Dusty May looks to build on an impressive debut campaign in Ann Arbor. In his first season, May guided Michigan to a 27-10 overall record, including a 14-6 mark in Big Ten play, securing the No. 3 seed at the conference tournament. The Wolverines rattled off three straight wins to capture their fourth Big Ten Tournament title with a 59-53 victory over Wisconsin. Earning a No. 5 seed in the NCAA South Regional, U-M advanced to its sixth straight Sweet 16 before falling to top-seeded Auburn.
• Michigan earned a preseason No. 7 ranking from the Associated Press, its highest spot in the opening poll since the 2021-22 season, when the Wolverines began at No. 6. It marks the 16th time Michigan has appeared in the preseason top 10. In several media projections, U-M has been picked to finish second in the Big Ten behind preseason No. 1 Purdue.
• Michigan and Cincinnati meet for the first time in 33 years, with the Wolverines holding a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series. The last matchup came in the 1992 NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis, where U-M earned a 76-72 victory to advance to the national championship game. Friday's contest marks the first time the Wolverines and Bearcats will square off in Ann Arbor, as the previous three regular-season meetings were played on the road.
• Cincinnati posted a 19-16 record last season, including a 7-13 mark in Big 12 play. The Bearcats advanced to the College Basketball Crown postseason tournament, defeating DePaul in the opening round before falling to UCF.
• Senior guard Day Day Thomas is the lone returning starter, having averaged 10.2 points, 2.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds while playing 25.4 minutes per game a year ago.
• Head coach Wes Miller enters his fifth season at the helm. Prior to Cincinnati, Miller guided UNC Greensboro for 10 seasons, leading the Spartans to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2018 and 2021.
• The 2025-26 campaign marks the 125th season of Bearcats basketball. Cincinnati's storied history includes 44 All-Americans, 41 conference titles and six Final Four appearances.
• May had this to say about the Wolverines' preseason: "Exhibition games are where you find the truth — what travels, what doesn't. We'll get beat on some things, and that's how we grow."
• In the new era of college basketball, Michigan saw eight players depart from last season's roster and welcomed eight newcomers for 2025-26. The incoming group features transfers Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB), Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina), Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois) and Aday Mara (UCLA). U-M also added four signees, highlighted by 2025 Michigan Mr. Basketball Trey McKenney and sharpshooter Winters Grady.
• Yaxel Lendeborg was named to the 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten Team, becoming the 24th Wolverine in program history to earn the honor. Before arriving in Ann Arbor, he played two seasons at UAB (2023-25), where he led the Blazers with 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, shooting 52.2 percent from the field and recording a nation-leading 26 double-doubles.
• The Wolverines will honor former consensus National Player of the Year Trey Burke by raising his No. 3 jersey to the Crisler Center rafters when U-M hosts Ohio State (Jan. 23). Burke will become the sixth Wolverine to have his jersey honored inside Crisler Center, joining Cazzie Russell (No. 33, 1993), Rudy Tomjanovich (No. 45, 2003), Phil Hubbard (No. 35, 2004), Glen Rice (No. 41, 2005) and Bill Buntin (No. 22, 2006). Of that group, Russell's No. 33 remains the program's only retired number.
• In addition to honoring Burke, Michigan will raise its 2025 Big Ten Tournament championship banner in the regular-season opener against Oakland on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The first 5,000 fans will be able to grab a replica banner upon entry.
