Michigan basketball exhibition at Wayne State: Preview and prediction

Michigan basketball will see its first game action Friday night at Wayne State for an exhibition contest against the D-II school.

The Maize and Blue won the Big Ten regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight last season, while Wayne State saw success at its own level. The Warriors won their eighth GLIAC title and made the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in program history (first appearance since 2013).

Below is everything you need to know heading into the game, including some quick-hitters on what to watch for, a breakdown of each team’s projected lineup, our final score prediction and more.

Michigan Basketball At Wayne State: Game Information

Date: Friday, Nov. 5, 2021

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Wayne State Fieldhouse (Detroit, Mich.)

Stream: Wayne State Athletics ($5)

Radio: Detroit: WWJ-Radio (950 AM) | Ann Arbor: WWWW (102.9 FM)| Grand Rapids: WOOD (106.9 FM)

On The Call: Brian Boesch (play-by-play) and Terry Mills (color)

Betting Line: Not available

Kenpom Prediction: Not available

Clayton Sayfie Prediction: Michigan 85, Wayne State 49

What To Watch For: Michigan Basketball At Wayne State

• Head coach Juwan Howard admitted that he hasn’t hammered down his rotation yet, but that “I have time” to figure out exactly who’s going to play on a team that he admitted is the deepest he’s had.

Friday will be the first look at Michigan’s starting five — we’re not expecting any surprises here; see below — but also who the first guys off the bench are at each position. Now, that may not hold, considering this game doesn’t count in the grand scheme of things, but it’ll be interesting to see Howard and Co.’s thought process when it comes to substitutions.

Unless this game is somehow close in the second half, expect the rotation to be pretty loose.

• It’ll also be the first time that Michigan’s consensus top-five 2021 recruiting class will be in uniform in a college game setting. The media got to see a dumbed-down portion of practice in October, but this will be the most extended look at the newcomers anybody will get to have before the regular-season opener next Wednesday (Nov. 10 versus Buffalo).

Players and coaches continue to indicate that wing Caleb Houstan (a starter), combo guard Kobe Bufkin and forward Moussa Diabate are ahead of the rest of their classmates, but by how much? While we won’t know the entire picture after Friday night, we’ll still learn some.

• It will also be the Michigan basketball debut for fifth-year senior guard DeVante’ Jones, who transferred in from Coastal Carolina during the offseason. In speaking with him this week, Jones made it clear that he’s going to be a pass-first guard, despite scoring 19.3 points per game last season when playing shooting guard. He’ll be asked to run the team from the point guard spot, and we know he’s much different than what the Wolverines had at the position a year ago, so we’ll get to see his style and how others play off of him.

Michigan Basketball Projected Starters

• #12 – Fifth-year senior guard DeVante’ Jones (6-1, 200) — The Coastal Carolina transfer and reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year led his team with 19.3 points per game last season, while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from long range … Added 7.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.8 steals per outing (fourth nationally).

• #55 – Fifth-year senior guard Eli Brooks (6-1, 185) — The team captain registered 9.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game last season, while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from long range.

• #22 – Freshman guard/forward Caleb Houstan (6-8, 205) — The highest-rated Michigan recruit since 2012 was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida and a McDonald’s All-American, and was tabbed as the No. 9 player in the country according to On3 … At Montverde (Fla.) Academy last season, he averaged 13.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest, while shooting 53 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range.

• #23 – Junior forward Brandon Johns Jr. (6-8, 240) — Averaged 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest last season, while shooting 52.7 percent overall and 36.8 percent from the field … Started five of his 28 appearances, including one Big Ten Tournament game and all four NCAA Tournament contests … Will also play some at the center spot in small-ball lineups for Michigan basketball.

• #1 – Sophomore center Hunter Dickinson (7-1, 260) — The 2021 second-team All-American led Michigan basketball in scoring (14.1 points per game) and rebounding (7.4) last season, while shooting 59.8 percent from the field.

Key Bench Contributors

• #14 – Freshman forward Moussa Diabate (6-11, 210) — The consensus five-star recruit was a McDonald’s All-American … Averaged 14.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season for Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, while shooting 64 percent from the field … Will back up at both the four and fie positions.

• #5 – Sophomore forward Terrance Williams II (6-7, 230) — Posted 1.9 points and 2.2 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game last season, primarily playing the three and four positions … Could play the five in small lineup.

• #2 – Freshman guard Kobe Bufkin (6-4, 175) — Will see time at both the point and the shooting guard spots … The Grand Rapids, Mich., native was a McDonald’s All-American … Played just five games as a prep senior due to an injury, but averaged 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists per outing.

Wayne State Projected Starters

• #11 – Sixth-year senior guard Brailen Neely (5-10, 160) — The 2021 first-team all-conference standout averaged 16.7 points, 4.9 assists and 4.5 boards per contest last season, while shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 35 percent from long range.

• #14 – Fifth-year senior guard Darian Owens-White (6-1, 165) — The 2021 first-team All-GLIAC selection averaged 17.8 points, 2.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game last season, while shooting 38.5 percent overall and 36.6 percent from long range.

• #1 – Senior guard Antonio Marshall (6-4, 165) — Put up 9.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game last season, while shooting 39 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from long range.

• #33 – Redshirt junior forward Avery Lewis (6-6, 215) — The second-team All-GLIAC performer registered 13.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per tilt last season, while shooting 53.2 percent from the field … Attempted just one three-pointer.

• #21 – Redshirt sophomore center Cadin Augustine (6-8, 220) — The Ypsilanti, Mich., native missed last season and the bulk of the 2019-20 campaign with an illness … In seven games during 2019-20, he posted 1.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per contest.