ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 7-ranked Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team is heading into a physical matchup against Wake Forest inside Little Caesars Arena, with Yaxel Lendeborg playing with one hand.
Michigan opened its season at home against the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies on Monday (Nov. 3) inside Crisler Center, and to the shock of the Maize Rage, Lendeborg, the team’s high-priced transfer, came off the bench to start his career as a Wolverine.
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May said on Monday, Nov. 10, that Lendeborg should be close to 100%.
Lendeborg sustained a right-hand injury in practice leading up to the season opener against Oakland.
But reports indicated that no broken bones occurred, and the injury was not long-term, which is why he came off the bench and played limited minutes with his hand wrapped.
Lendeborg finished the game with 12 points, shooting 4-4, including a pair of three-pointers and a fast-break dunk, during which he grimaced while running back on defense.
In that game, Michigan set a program record for most points in the first half, leading the Oakland Grizzlies 69-38 at halftime.
The record was broken by Aday Mara on a baseline jumper with 1:02 left to play in the first half, taking a 67-35 lead.
The record was stretched to 69 following a Morez Johnson Jr.layup with 34.6 seconds remaining in the quarter, as Michigan went on to take the 69-38 lead.
Johnson Jr. (20 points) started the game in place of injured transfer Lendeborg.
Mara finished the half with 10 points.
The original record was 66 points in the first half of a basketball game during the 1987 season against the Eastern Michigan Eagles in December of that year.
If you’re wondering what the most points by a Michigan team in any half is, that would be 71.