Michigan Dismantles McNeese In Final Non-Conference Tune-Up

The last time the No. 2 Michigan men's basketball team (12-0) faced McNeese (10-3) inside Crisler Center, the Cowboys shocked the Wolverines, winning 87-76 in 2023. Michigan more than atoned for its prior misstep in the waning hours of 2025, however, throttling McNeese 112-71 on Monday night.

Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. led the way for the Wolverines, scoring 24 points and collecting 11 rebounds in his 21 minutes of play. Graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg also added 16 points to go along with his eight rebounds.

Grabbing a McNeese missed layup, junior center Aday Mara threw an outlet pass to graduate guard Nimari Burnett near the free-throw line. Burnett immediately started the fast break, taking a few dibbles to midcourt before dropping off a pass to Lendeborg who was streaking down the right wing. Lendeborg kept the ball high and finished with his right hand to give Michigan an 11-2 lead before three minutes had even elapsed in the game, forcing McNeese to call an early timeout.

It was a familiar start for the Wolverines. The Cowboys were rushing their offense, and Michigan was dictating the pace. The holiday break had done nothing to stymie the Wolverines' flow.

Michigan's lead flatlined a little as McNeese found a way to put the ball in the basket. The Wolverines still hovered around a 10- to 15-point advantage for the middle part of the first half. Led by Johnson's efficient start — he finished the half with 13-points on 4-for-4 shooting — the Wolverines dominated the paint and consistently got to the free throw line, keeping McNeese at an arms length.

As the 10-minute mark elapsed, however, Michigan began to slowly extend its lead. It went on an eight-to-two run on free throws alone before Lendeborg knocked in a corner 3-pointer to give the Wolverines their first 20-point lead of the evening at 38-18 with 7:26 left in the first half.

Michigan continued to force the ball inside, collecting a myriad of free throw attempts in the process. By the time the first half elapsed, the Wolverines had attempted 27 free throws — and made 20 — to McNeese’s two attempts. 

Entering the break, Michigan boasted a massive 60-29 lead over a quality Cowboys squad.

The Wolverines got off to another scorching start in the second half. A second-chance layup from Mara and three fastbreak dunks immediately set the tone: Michigan wasn't planning on slowing down, even with its enormous lead.

Then, they moved beyond the arc. Burnett and junior guard Elliot Cadeau splashed back-to-back 3-pointers, pouring on the points against a helpless McNeese.

By the time the dust settled, Michigan had started the half on a 16-0 run in under four minutes. If the Cowboys weren't buried at halftime, they certainly were when the Wolverines took a 76-30 lead to the under-16 media timeout.

Michigan cooled off a bit out of the timeout, but the damage was done. No matter who was on the court, the Wolverines were bigger, more athletic, and more under control than their opposition. Their offense certainly draws a lot of praise, but their defense held McNeese to an unsightly 29.5% shooting from the floor.

After playing just more than eight minutes in the second half, the Wolverines already had three blocks and three steals to their name in that span alone. On the back of that suffocating defense and prolific offense, Michigan owned an 86-37 lead with just under twelve minutes to play in the game.

With a little more than nine minutes left, Michigan head coach Dusty May dipped deeper into his bench — an activity he's been able to enjoy many times already this season — putting freshman guard Winters Grady into the game. Grady immediately capitalized on his opportunity, drawing two straight fouls and knocking in 4-of-5 free throws.

Freshman center Malick Kordel also got in on the fun, scoring a tough layup under the rim and slamming home an alley-oop, showing off some nice touch and strength.

As the final buzzer sounded, Michigan exited its final non-conference test with yet another blowout win, this one in 112-71 fashion, before it takes on USC on Friday.