ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball coach Mike Boynton Jr. is eager to see how his team’s summer work translates into live game action as the defending national champions prepare to depart for a European exhibition trip later this week.
The Wolverines are scheduled to travel to Lithuania and Croatia for three exhibition games.
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The trip gives Michigan extra practice time and a chance to build chemistry with a roster that includes several new faces.
Boynton said the team expects to complete eight or nine practices before leaving for Europe.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for this group to spend some time together and have a chance to play some games,” Boynton said. “See the things that we’ve been working on all summer, how they actually pan out and work or not.”
The Wolverines are scheduled to face the Lithuania Men’s National Team, the Lithuania B Team and Serbia’s Mega Superbet during the trip.
Boynton said the team will focus primarily on itself rather than spending significant time scouting opponents whose rosters remain in flux.
Boynton impressed by Marcus Moller
One player who has caught Boynton’s attention during summer workouts is Marcus Moller, whose shooting ability has stood out.
Boynton said he entered the summer with modest expectations because of the player’s medical history and recovery from cancer.
“I probably have been more positively impressed by him than I have with anybody,” Boynton said.
Boynton said Moller has not appeared to miss a beat, showing an impressive skill level as both a shooter and a passer.
He said the 7’3” player still needs to get stronger but could potentially contribute this season.
“It’s probably hard to say that right now,” Boynton said when asked about Marcus’ potential role. “There are a lot of more experienced guys in the frontcourt at this point.”
Roddy Gayle remains possibility
Boynton also addressed the status of former Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr., who could potentially return to the Wolverines depending on changes to NCAA eligibility rules.
Gayle has already exhausted his eligibility under current rules and played in the NBA Summer League.
Boynton acknowledged those circumstances could create hurdles but said Michigan would explore a reunion if Gayle becomes eligible and wants to return.
“If there’s an opportunity for Roddy to be back, and he wants to be back, we certainly will have him back,” Boynton said.
Boynton said Gayle did not have information about a potential additional season when he decided to play in the summer league.
“If the rules had changed, then they would say, ‘All right, he didn’t do anything wrong per se. This wasn’t an option. And now it is,’” Boynton said.
McCoy impressing on both ends
Freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. has also made an early impression on his new head coach.
Boynton called McCoy a “heck of a playmaker,” a very good passer who can be explosive around the basket.
He said McCoy’s jump shot has also shown improvement after the freshman spent much of the summer working on it.
“He’s probably shot more basketballs this summer than anybody on our team,” Boynton said.
Boynton said data from the team’s shooting technology supports that improvement.
Wolverines aim to build chemistry
With so many new pieces and returning players taking on different roles, Boynton said the extra practices ahead of the European trip have been valuable.
Michigan is using the trip to learn how its new lineup fits together, both on and off the court.
Boynton said time spent sightseeing and bonding away from basketball could be just as beneficial as the exhibition games themselves.
“I do think that helps when you get to the season,” Boynton said.
Injury updates
Two Wolverines will sit out the European trip.
Boynton said Jaylen Reed will not play but has received a positive report from doctors and is ahead of his initial recovery timeline.
The initial expectation was that Reed might begin ramping up around late December.
Boynton said Reed could instead receive clearance for live contact work after the team returns from Europe and potentially be ready to play at the start of the regular season.
Lincoln Cosby also will not play on the trip.
Boynton said Cosby is slightly behind Reed in his recovery but remains on track with his individual timeline.
Backcourt sets lofty goals
Boynton said Trey McKenney has continued developing his ability to handle point guard responsibilities, and the backcourt as a whole has set ambitious goals for the season.
McKenney and Elliot Cadeau have publicly talked about becoming the best backcourt in the country.
Boynton said he welcomes that confidence, but wants his players to understand it raises expectations across the board.
“I want them to play that way. I want them to prepare that way,” Boynton said. “But I also want them to know that means teams will prepare for them with that mindset as well.”
Boynton said Michigan wants to be an unselfish, tough team that can compete on both ends of the floor.
The Wolverines are coming off a national championship season and will use the European trip as an early step toward preparing for another challenging campaign.