Michigan basketball absolutely opened their season with a decisive 84-68 victory against in-state rival Oakland University on Monday, November 2, 2026. This game wasn’t just another win, though, it was the official start of a whole new chapter for the Wolverines under head coach Mike Boynton Jr.
New Coach, New Crew, Same Big Ten Expectation
Look, after breaking a 25-year Big Ten national championship drought last year, everyone’s got their eyes on Ann Arbor. But this isn’t last year’s squad, not entirely. Dusty May is off to the NBA, and Boynton Jr., a former assistant, is now running the show. We’re seeing mostly new faces on the court, even if there are a few familiar ones mixed in. It’s a fresh start, right? And against Oakland, a team they blew out 121-78 last year, it was clear this new group had to find their rhythm. The Grizzlies’ offensive attack wasn’t exactly “dampened” in the first half like it was a year ago, which tells you this team is still figuring things out.
It Wasn’t Always Pretty, But They Got It Done
So, how did they do it? The Wolverines eventually solved Oakland’s zone defense, which was key. But after that first half where Oakland hung around a bit, the second half turned into a defensive slugfest. Both teams were really struggling to find the bucket. Michigan managed to pull away, building a 15-point lead, but you know how it goes: momentum shifted. Oakland went on an 8-0 run, suddenly cutting the lead to just seven. Any fan watching that probably had their heart in their throat! But, gotta give credit where it’s due, the Wolverines responded exactly how you want your team to, pushing their lead back to 16 points and effectively putting the game away. They finished with a wide 84-68 margin, making sure that season-opening W was firmly in the books.
This new regime, with Boynton Jr. at the helm and a largely new cast, just took the first step. They showed they can close out a game, even when it gets a little messy in the second half. It’s only Game 1, but this team has big shoes to fill after last year’s championship run. We’re all watching to see if this new squad can maintain that championship vibe.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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