The Michigan Wolverines tipped off their preseason on Sunday at the Crisler Center with an 87-62 blowout win against the Eastern Michigan Eagles, marking the debut of first-year head coach Mike Boynton Jr. Guard Trey McKenney led the charge with a game-high 21 points.
Boynton Era Begins with Defensive Intensity
The Wolverines picked up right where they left off following last season’s national championship run, utilizing an aggressive perimeter defense to suffocate the Eagles early. Michigan forced three quick turnovers and kept Eastern Michigan off the board for the opening three minutes of the contest. Elliot Cadeau ignited the transition game instantly, finding center Moustapha Thiam for an alley-oop just seconds after the opening tip. McKenney followed with a triple to cap a 5-0 start, establishing a tone of early dominance.
But the tape tells a different story about consistency during the middle frames. Michigan hit a cold stretch lasting over three minutes, committing five turnovers that allowed Eastern Michigan to claw back via a 10-0 run. The Eagles cut the deficit to 31-28 late in the first half before the Wolverines tightened their defensive rotations. A swift 8-0 response pushed Michigan ahead 39-28 at the intermission, capped by Costello stealing an inbound pass and finishing a fast-break dunk.
Freshmen Contributions and Second-Half Separation
In the first half, both Hartman and Costello injected instant spacing by drilling deep three-pointers during a 12-2 run. Thiam patrolled the paint defensively, recording four blocks while anchoring the low-block coverage.
The Wolverines blew the game wide open coming out of the locker room. McKenney hit a turnaround mid-range jumper to ignite a blistering stretch where Michigan converted seven consecutive field goals. By the ten-minute mark of the second half, the lead swelled to 60-43 as Cadeau slithered through defensive drop coverages for a nifty layup. The offensive execution stabilized significantly, pushing the advantage past twenty points and keeping the Eagles entirely out of striking distance.
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists / Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trey McKenney | 21 | 5 | — |
| Quinn Costello | 16 | 5 | — |
| J.P. Estrella | 14 | 4 | — |
| Moustapha Thiam | 11 | 5 | 4 Blocks |
| Elliot Cadeau | 10 | 7 | 8 Assists |
| Joseph Hartman | 10 | — | — |
Preseason Schedule and Upcoming Tests
With the regular season tipping off in three weeks, the Wolverines have two remaining tune-up fixtures on the calendar. Michigan will host Oregon State on Friday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Grand Rapids to face Houston on Sunday, Oct. 25. These upcoming matches will test how quickly Boynton can integrate newcomers against high-major competition.
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