Michigan basketball adds to non-conference schedule, learns Fort Myers Tip-Off first-round opponent
Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Dusty May is close to finalizing his non-conference schedule for the 2024-25 season, his first with the Maize and Blue after being hired away from Florida Atlantic.
The Maize and Blue have 10 non-conference games currently on the books, with three new ones being announced Wednesday, all home tilts: the season-opener against Cleveland State Nov. 4, a Dec. 22 outing versus Purdue Fort Wayne and a Nov. 29 clash against Western Kentucky.
Michigan also learned Wednesday its first-round draw for the Fort Myers Tip-off Nov. 25 and Nov. 27, with the Wolverines slated to take on Virginia Tech the first day (6 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1). The Maize and Blue will face either South Carolina or Xavier Nov. 27 (6 or 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1).
The Wolverines also have home games against TCU (Nov. 15) and Miami Ohio (Nov. 18). They’ll play neutral-site outings against Wake Forest (Nov. 10 in Greensboro, N.C.), Arkansas (Dec. 10 at Madison Square Garden in New York for the Jimmy V Classic) and Oklahoma (Dec. 18 in Charlotte, N.C., for the Jumpman Invitational.
Michigan is 1-0 all time against Cleveland State, winning 77-47 at Crisler Center Nov. 13, 2012. The Wolverines are 2-0 versus Purdue Fort Wayne, with victories in 2001-02 (91-62) and 2022-23 (75-56). The Wolverines are 0-2 against Western Kentucky, with those setbacks coming in 1994-95 (82-76 in Dayton, Ohio) and 2007-08 (73-69 in Anchorage, Alaska).
All three of Cleveland State (21-15), Purdue Fort Wayne (23-13) and Western Kentucky (22-12) posted winning records last season.
Michigan is 0-2 versus Virginia Tech, having lost 65-53 in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands in 2002-03 and 73-70 in Ann Arbor in 2016-17.
Viginia Tech concluded last season 19-15, losing to Ohio State in the second round of the NIT after being bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
All told for non-conference play so far, Michigan has six games against Power Five opponents and four versus mid-majors.
Michigan has its Big Ten schedule breakdown, but not dates and tip times for any of its conference games.
Home: Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State, Washington
Road: Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, UCLA, USC, Wisconsin
Home/Road: Michigan State, Purdue, Rutgers
Michigan has high hopes for its first season under May, with the coach telling Jon Rothstein on the ‘College Hoops Today’ podcast earlier this offseason that he hopes the Wolverines are extremely competitive.
“To look like a real cohesive unit that competes at the highest level,” May said of his goal for the season. “We do feel like we’ll be big and skilled, and will have a lot of lineup versatility so we can play and hopefully win in a number of different ways. Just a group that’s extremely connected and battling with each other for a common goal.”
