Wolverine Digest

Michigan men's basketball finalizes a difficult non-conference slate

The Wolverines will play a solid non-conference slate in 2025-26.
Trent Knoop|
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

In this story:

Michigan Wolverines

Michigan men's basketball finalized its non-conference slate for the upcoming season -- it's a good one. The Wolverines will begin their season on November 3, with a home game against Oakland. Michigan will then play back-to-back Power 4 teams: Wake Forest and TCU.

Later in November, Michigan will be tasked with both San Diego State and Auburn. In the beginning of December, Dusty May's crew will take on Villanova, and Michigan ends its non-conference slate with a February game with ACC power, Duke.

May and the Wolverines have a difficult non-conference slate, but that's to be expected when Michigan is looking to compete for not only a Big Ten title -- but a national title.

2025-26 Michigan Non-Conference Schedule

• Monday, Nov. 3: Oakland (Crisler Center)
• Tuesday, Nov. 11: vs. Wake Forest (Detroit, Mich.)
• Friday, Nov. 14: at TCU (Fort Worth, Texas)
• Wednesday, Nov. 19: Middle Tennessee (Crisler Center)
• Monday, Nov. 24: vs. San Diego State (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• Tuesday, Nov. 25: vs. Auburn (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• Wednesday or Thursday, Nov. 26 or 27: vs. TBD (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• Tuesday, Dec. 9: Villanova (Crisler Center)
• Sunday, Dec. 21: LaSalle (Crisler Center)
• Monday, Dec. 29: McNeese (Crisler Center)
• Saturday, Feb. 21: vs. Duke (Washington, D.C.)

Read the press release below:

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team announced Thursday (Aug. 28) the finalization of its 11-game non-conference regular season schedule for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Details for the Wolverines' exhibition schedule and Big Ten 20-game schedule will be announced when they become available.

After announcing a rematch with Wake Forest (Nov. 11) in Downtown Detroit (Little Caesars Arena), a road game at TCU (Nov. 14), inclusion in the 2025 Players Era Championship (Nov. 24-27), a home-and-home series with Villanova (Dec. 9) and a matchup with national power Duke (Feb. 21) during the final half of the Big Ten schedule, the Maize and Blue add four home games to complete its pre-Big Ten schedule.

The 2025-26 season begins with Oakland heading to Ann Arbor on Monday, Nov. 3. The regular-season opener is the first meeting since 2020 and the 10th overall series meeting. The Wolverines hold an 8-1 record, having won their last seven games against the Grizzlies. The game is scheduled to hold a pregame banner raising for the 2025 Big Ten Tournament championship.

Heading into mid-November, the Maize and Blue host Middle Tennessee on Nov. 19 in what will be the second-ever meeting with the Blue Raiders. It is the first game in 39 years as the lone other meeting was an 85-83 Wolverine loss at the UAB Classic (Dec. 29, 1986).

Returning from Thanksgiving in Las Vegas and the Players Era and after battling Villanova, U-M closes its pre-conference slate facing LaSalle on Sunday, Dec. 21, then McNeese on Monday, Dec. 29.

In what will be a Dec. 21 doubleheader with the U-M women's basketball team, Michigan's only other meeting with LaSalle was 50 years ago in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic (Dec. 29, 1975). In the Wolverines' fifth straight win, U-M upset the 20th-ranked Explorers 86-71. After upsetting U-M 86-76 in the first-ever meeting, on Dec. 29, 2023, McNeese returns to Crisler Center exactly two years later to square off with the Wolverines.

Tickets are slated to begin sales in the fall. However, Maize and Blue fans can join the ticket interest list to be notified when tickets are available and receive other Wolverines basketball news.

More Michigan News:

Recruits make predictions for New Mexico vs. Michigan football on Saturday

Joel Klatt dives into what we need to see from Bryce Underwood in Week 1 for Michigan

3 keys for Michigan football in Week 1 against New Mexico

Michigan football 2026 commit scores game-winning touchdown in HS opener

Advanced analytics predict every Michigan football game in 2025

Michigan Football: Six bold predictions for the Wolverines ahead of 2025 season

Published
Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI during the 2025 football season. Trent also serves as the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI. His other bylines have appeared on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

Share on XFollow @trentknoop
Home/Basketball