Michigan opened its European tour with a 96-84 loss to Lithuania in Vilnius on August 23, a game that saw the Wolverines led by freshmen Quinn Costello and Brandon McCoy Jr. trade baskets with a veteran Lithuanian side.
Despite shooting 44 percent from the field and hitting 12 of 30 three-pointers, the Wolverines could not hold a 12-point halftime advantage as Lithuania outscored them 52-28 after the break, pulling ahead with 2:15 left in the third quarter.
Injuries and Rebounding Woes
The early exit of starting forward Moustapha Thiam, who was replaced by Oscar Goodman, exposed Michigan’s lack of depth, especially on the boards where they were outrebounded 33-31.
Coach Mike Boynton Jr. acknowledged the physical nature of the European schedule, stressing that the team’s growth will come from gaining experience against seasoned opponents.
The Wolverines are slated to face Lithuania B on August 24 at 11:30 a.m. ET before meeting Serbia’s Mega Superbet on August 27 at 1 p.m. ET, giving the young roster another chance to translate promise into results.