A rocky start on European soil
Michigan Wolverines opened their nine‑day foreign tour with two consecutive defeats, falling 96‑84 to Lithuania’s senior national side before succumbing 82‑77 to the country’s B team.
The first loss was compounded by the brief appearance of forward Moustapha Thiam, who logged only six minutes before leaving with an ankle injury, limiting the team’s interior options early in the contest.
Despite the setbacks, the Wolverines’ freshman contingent displayed flashes of potential, with Brandon McCoy Jr., Quinn Costello, Joseph Hartman and Marcus Moller seeing action against professional opposition, while point guard Elliot Cadeau worked to sharpen his offensive instincts.
Cadeau’s development was hampered by foul trouble, forcing him to exit both games and leaving veteran Mike Boynton Jr. with limited opportunities to experiment with rotation schemes.
Rebounding emerged as a bright spot, as the squad secured 33 and 43 boards in the two matches even while missing key contributors such as Jalen Reed and Lincoln Cosby, a sign that the team could grow stronger without Thiam.
The next encounter, scheduled for Thursday, offers a chance for the Wolverines to assess their adjustments and determine whether backup point guard Kenny Noland, currently barred by NCAA eligibility rules but pursuing a restraining order, can contribute.