Michigan
Northwood (ex)
Northwood to Head to Crisler Center for Wolverines' Lone Exhibition Game
11/2/2023 2:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team closes its preseason work hosting its lone exhibition contest against Northwood on Friday (Nov. 3) at Crisler Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the contest to be streamed live on B1G+.
Notes
• Coached by Lonnie Griffin, Northwood was picked to finish 13th in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference preseason poll. The Timberwolves played an exhibition contest at Central Michigan (Oct. 22), falling 81-55. Junior guard Noah Pruitt led with 11 points (5-for-7 FG), while sophomore guard Will Young II had 10 points and five rebounds. Northwood's roster features redshirt-freshman guard Jude Drake, who is a graduate from the Jalen Rose Academy.
• Juwan Howard underwent a successful heart procedure on Sept. 15 at the University of Michigan Health Samuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center. The scheduled operation was performed by Dr. Himanshu Patel, who successfully resected an aortic aneurysm and repaired Howard's aortic valve. Howard has continued to rest and rehab with no immediate timetable for his return.
• While Howard continues to recover from his heart procedure, associate head coach Phil Martelli serves as the interim head coach. Assistants Saddi Washington and Howard Eisley have maintained their current duties, while director of player personnel Jay Smith has moved up to the third assistant spot.
• Michigan lost six players from last year's squad. Jett Howard and Kobe Bufkin each entered the NBA Draft early and were first-round selections, with Howard picked 11th overall (Orlando Magic) and Bufkin 15th (Atlanta Hawks). U-M had three players enter the transfer portal -- Isaiah Barnes (Tulsa), Hunter Dickinson (Kansas), Gregg Glenn III (Tulane) -- while Joey Baker exhausted his eligibility and is now playing professionally in Lithuania.
• Despite losing six players, U-M picked up five for this year's team. The Wolverines added three graduate transfers: Nimari Burnett (Alabama), Tray Jackson (Seton Hall), Olivier Nkamhoua (Tennessee), signed freshman George Washington III and added preferred walk-on Harrison Hochberg.
• U-M welcomes back Jaelin Llewellyn, who was granted a medical year after suffering an ACL injury eight games into the 2022-23 season. A graduate transfer from Princeton, Llewellyn has continued his rehab and began practicing with the Wolverines, but he is participating in non-contact drills only. Early last season, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
• Dug McDaniel replaced Llewellyn as U-M's starting point last season. He finished his freshman campaign starting 26 of 34 games, while averaging 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He had 13 double figure scoring games highlighted with his 20 point effort against Wisconsin (Feb. 26). Six times last season he notched seven assists or more in a game with a career-best nine at Northwestern (Feb. 2).
