2025-26 Season

Michigan to host Cincinnati in exhibition opener

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Michigan will host Cincinnati in a preseason exhibition game on October 17th at the Crisler Center.

Tip is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. with television broadcast details to be determined later (but reportedly BTN+, per Cincinnati’s website).

The Wolverines will open the doors to the Crisler Center on a Friday night for a first look at the new-look roster with a home football game scheduled for Saturday.

The Bearcats check in at No. 32 in Bart Torvik’s most recent preseason rankings after finishing 19-16 (7-13 Big 12) last season under Wes Miller. They have 12 newcomers on this year’s roster.

Updated NCAA rules allow programs to play up to two exhibitions against Division I opponents in the preseason. Michigan will also play St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on October 25th in its other tune-up contest.

The Wolverines open the 2025-26 season on November 3rd at home against Oakland. Here’s the full 2025-26 schedule, with television and times to be announced at a later date.

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  1. umhoops

    Full press release:

    ANN ARBOR, Mich – The University of Michigan men’s basketball team announced Monday (Sept. 29) it will open its preseason by hosting Cincinnati in an exhibition game presented by Champions Circle on Friday, Oct. 17, at Crisler Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

    Following the home matchup with the Bearcats, the Wolverines will travel to New York City for a second preseason exhibition against St. John’s at Madison Square Garden as part of the Bad Boy Mowers Series. That contest is set for Saturday, Oct. 25, with tipoff at 7 p.m.

    Television broadcast information for both games will be announced at a later date.

    Although the Cincinnati exhibition will not count toward the all-time series, Michigan holds a 3-1 advantage over the Bearcats. Three of the four meetings were played in Cincinnati, beginning with the inaugural contest in 1921 – a 28-25 Wolverine victory. Two years later, U-M added a 24-14 win before falling 81-62 on the road in 1953.

    The most recent meeting came on college basketball’s biggest stage: the 1992 Final Four. Led by the Fab Five, Michigan outlasted Cincinnati 76-72 in Minneapolis to advance to the national championship game against Duke. Despite a 21-point effort from Bearcat guard Nick Van Exel, Jalen Rose tied the game late in the second half, and the Wolverines sealed the win with a three-pointer from James Voskuil and a fast-break dunk by Chris Webber.

    Tickets for the 2025-26 season will go on sale this fall. Fans can join the ticket interest list to be notified when tickets become available and to receive the latest Wolverines basketball news. Single-game tickets will go on sale to season ticket holders and donors with 200 or more priority points on Tuesday, Oct. 7, and all fans will be able to purchase tickets on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

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  2. BigBoutros

    Yung Wesley Miller

    Reply

  3. BleedBlue

    BTN+ probably?

    Reply

  4. DMB43

    Kerr Krissa vs Elliot Cadeau for all the glory!

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  5. umhoops

    Last year’s exhibition games were on BTN, I think.

    I am not sure what the setup will be for these. The SJU game being on a Saturday during football season is obviously funky.

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