Michigan gets exhibition season off to a strong start with 87-62 win over Eastern Michigan

Michigan began its exhibition slate with a convincing performance, separating from Eastern Michigan in the second half to earn an 87-62 victory. The score told the basic story, but the path mattered more, as the Wolverines’ offense looked organized early and then grew more consistent after halftime.

Trey McKenney set the tone with 21 points, leading Michigan in its first tune-up before the regular season. The scoring spread also helped, with Michigan keeping multiple options active rather than leaning on a single creator for all of its offense. According to the game report, the Wolverines emphasized balance and execution, which allowed them to build and then extend the lead.

Michigan’s three-point shooting was a key part of the separation. The exhibition report described the Wolverines as efficient from beyond the arc, and that efficiency gave them an additional way to put pressure on Eastern Michigan’s defense. Instead of trading possessions on the perimeter without results, Michigan’s shot-making helped turn good stretches into scoreboard gaps.

The second half was where the win took shape most clearly. After staying controlled early, Michigan pulled away after halftime, using a stronger run to widen the margin and limit Eastern Michigan’s ability to respond. In exhibitions, coaches often look for specific lineups and patterns, and the reported second-half performance suggested Michigan had clarity about what it wanted to run after the break.

Eastern Michigan, for its part, played its role in a standard exhibition framework, providing resistance for Michigan’s first game action of the preseason period. But the Wolverines’ ability to sustain scoring and keep pressure on both ends made the difference. Once Michigan’s lead grew, Eastern Michigan’s scoring opportunities likely became harder to generate, while Michigan could play with more freedom.

For Michigan, the immediate takeaway is that the offensive identity it carried into the exhibition did not appear fragile. A balanced approach, combined with efficient perimeter shooting, is a positive early sign for a team that needs multiple scoring threats to space the floor and create driving lanes. The exhibition also offered a blueprint for how Michigan can attack: keep the offense distributed, knock down threes, then use second-half execution to turn the game away.

The next step is simply continuation. Exhibitions are not the same as conference games, and one result cannot define a season. Still, Michigan’s first outing created a clear set of expectations to watch in subsequent exhibitions and then the opening stretch of the regular schedule: consistent shot quality from the perimeter, the ability to maintain pace after halftime, and scoring balance that does not depend on one player to carry every possession.