Michigan
Oakland
10/30/2026 7:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Promotions
Nov. 2
• Home Opener -- Come see the 2026-27 Michigan men's basketball team in action for the first time.
• College of Pharmacy Vaccine Clinic -- Arrive early and get your flu or COVID vaccine on site in the Hall of Honor. Bring your prescription insurance card to receive your vaccine. » More information
• Giveaway -- 2026 NCAA Championship replica banners for the first 7,500 fans.
• Halftime Entertainment - Michigan drumline
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team (0-0) begins its national title defense on Monday (Nov. 2), hosting Oakland (0-0) in its 2026-27 season opener at Crisler Center. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on Big Ten Network. The Wolverines open a new chapter under first-year head coach Mike Boynton Jr. following last season's historic 37-3 campaign and NCAA championship.
Notes
• Championship Defense Begins: Michigan opens its 111th season after posting a program-record 37 wins (37-3), winning its second NCAA championship and claiming its 16th Big Ten championship. The Wolverines went 19-1 in Big Ten play, finished 11-0 in true road games, and defeated UConn 69-63 to win their first national championship since 1989.
• Opening-Night Success: Michigan is 90-20 all-time in season openers and has won 23 straight dating back to the 2002-03 season. U-M has not lost a season opener at Crisler Center since falling to Western Michigan 68-63 on Nov. 15, 1997.
• A New Era: Boynton makes his official debut as Michigan's head coach after being promoted on July 1. Boynton was part of last season's national championship coaching staff and took over after Dusty May left to become head coach of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.
• Championship Experience Returns: Michigan brings back several players from last season's national championship team, led by senior guard Elliot Cadeau, the 2026 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and sophomore guard Trey McKenney. Both were named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, while Roddy Gayle Jr. returns for his fifth collegiate season.
• A New-Look Roster: Michigan added four transfers -- J.P. Estrella (Tennessee), Jalen Reed (LSU), Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and Kenny Noland (Columbia) -- along with six freshmen.
• Big Shoes to Fill: The Wolverines also have some big shoes to fill after losing three NBA Draft lottery picks in Morez Johnson Jr. (No. 9), Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 11) and Aday Mara (No. 12). It marked the first time in program history that three Wolverines were selected in the lottery in the same draft.
• Exhibition Tuneups: Michigan finished its three-game exhibition schedule with a 2-1 record, defeating Eastern Michigan (87-62) and Oregon State (98-93) before falling to No. 10 Houston (83-66).
• Familiar Opening Foe: Michigan and Oakland meet in a season opener for the sixth time and second straight season. The Wolverines lead 9-1 in the all-time series and are 4-1 in five previous season-opening meetings.
• Oakland Reloads: The Golden Grizzlies were picked fourth in the Horizon League preseason poll and bring back just two players who saw action last season -- Nassim Mashhour and Warren Marshall IV. Oakland added several transfers, including Belal El Shakery (New Hampshire), Chris Fields Jr. (Campbell) and RJ Taylor (Northern Iowa), as it looks to replace much of last season's roster.
• The Kampe Era: Oakland is led by Greg Kampe, who enters his 43rd season as the longest-tenured active Division I men's basketball head coach. Kampe has been with the Golden Grizzlies since 1984, guiding the program through its move from Division II to Division I and leading Oakland to four Division I NCAA Tournament appearances. The most memorable came in 2024, when the Golden Grizzlies upset No. 3 seed Kentucky in the first round.
• Next Up: Following Monday's opener, Michigan heads to Boston for a rematch of the 2026 national championship game against No. 4 UConn on Friday, Nov. 6, at TD Garden. The Hall of Fame Series Boston matchup tips off at 8 p.m. and will air on TNT and truTV, with streaming available on HBO Max. Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Grant Hill (analyst) and Lauren Jbara (sideline reporter) will call the game.
