Notebook: Injury updates, small-ball lineups and Grady’s path to playing time

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Michigan’s first exhibition against Cincinnati is in the books. Although the Wolverines didn’t come out with a win, Michigan coach Dusty May saw the opportunity as a great chance to understand more about his team.

On Monday, May spoke with the media with updates on some of the faces missing from the exhibition game due to injury and how the rotations have been adjusted, as well as some updates on a potential path for a newcomer to make an impact in year one.

Injury updates and impact

The most glaring issues for the Wolverines against the Bearcats came as a result of something that may have been out of their control.

Junior center Aday Mara and sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. were both out due to injury, limiting rotations both in practice and in the exhibition.

“We’d like a couple full weeks of practice with our team,” May said Monday. “We haven’t had Aday and Morez, and yesterday was the first day where we were able to do anything live with those guys. So we haven’t had those players for a couple weeks.”

But less noticeable was sophomore guard L.J. Cason and what he’s been working through. Cason had just gotten cleared to play the day before the exhibition, and May was only expecting him to play in a limited capacity, two minutes per half.

Cason had been working through ankle sprains and a bone bruise in his foot. As the game flowed on and May wanted to learn more about his roster, though, Cason saw more action in the second half to try and mediate some of the turnover issues present in the first half.

“We definitely played (Cason) more in the second half than we had planned on, but that was a result of us turning the ball over in the first half, and L.J. saying he was fine,” May said. “He had a good practice yesterday. Obviously when you miss four weeks of live play, you’re not going to be the same player immediately, but we’re excited about the season he’s going to have. We need him. We need more play making on the court.”