Michigan basketball is getting set for a national-championship game rematch against UConn. The Wolverines won't have Dusty May, who is now coaching in the NBA.
So that will be a big difference between this season and last season, not to mention three first-round picks in the NBA.
However, Michigan will be a full strength as head coach Mike Boynton said the expectation is that Moustapha Thiam will play against the Huskies on Friday night.
Michigan head coach Mike Boynton Jr. on Moustapha Thiam's status for UConn:
— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) November 5, 2026
"The expectation is that he will play."
Thiam missed the opener against Oakland with an illness.
What Moustapha Thiam return means for Michigan basketball in its national-title rematch against UConn
The Huskies opened their season with a 40-point win over Gardner-Webb. They shot 72 percent on 2-point attempts. The Huskies ranked 46th in that category last season, so attacking the rim is going to be a key part of what they do, through the low-post game and basket cuts.
Thiam, an elite shot blocker, will make that more difficult. J.P. Estrella also did a nice job in the opener, notching a double-double, but he was also called for five fouls in 21 minutes. That will need to improve.
Na'jai Hines will be one of those low-post threats to UConn. He averaged 6.6 points for Seton Hall last season but shot 60 percent on 2s. He also led the Big East with 2.2 blocked shots per game.
Thiam led the Big 12 with 2.6 blocked shots per game in 2024-25. He averaged 1.6 blocks per game last season. Beyond that, his offensive skill set is much-needed. Oscar Goodman was his replacement on Monday night.
Thiam shot 52.5 percent from the field. Last season, he was just a 28 percent 3-point shooter for Cincinnati, however, he was in the mid-30s during the last 10 games, so Thiam will add a key piece offensively, especially when it comes to being a lob-pass target for Elliot Cadeau.
Beyond that, it will at least give Michigan the chance to be full strength for one of the most difficult games on the schedule. The two teams are playing in Boston at the TD Garden Center.
It's not going to make-or-break the season. It would be fun to the win national-title rematch. The Wolverines won the game that matters, though. That's why it didn't sting quite as badly when Dusty May left for the NBA.
Maybe we will feel differently after this game. It's Boynton's first big test. At least he will have a full lineup at his disposal.
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