It’s been nearly 62 years since TCU and Michigan met in men’s basketball. But Friday, the two finally will play again, meeting in Ann Arbor, Mich., with each looking for a key non-conference win.
Michigan won that only other matchup, winning 82-60 on Dec. 13, 1962. Friday’s game will be the first of a home-and-home series that will see Michigan visit Fort Worth, Texas, in 2025.
For TCU, it will be its first game against an opponent from a power conference after recording three straight wins to start the season over Florida A&M (105-59), Florida Gulf Coast (67-51) and Texas State (76-71).
“I know they are big, I know they are skilled,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said of Michigan. “I’m excited about it. Whoever we play, I’m going to be excited. I want to get better, and that’s what I told our guys.”
The glaring concern for TCU through the first three games has been free-throw shooting. The Horned Frogs have made just 35 of 62 shots (56.5 percent) from the line.
On the other side, Michigan comes in at 1-1 following a 72-70 loss to Wake Forest on Sunday on a neutral court in Greensboro, N.C.
It’s a new era for the Wolverines, who hired Dusty May as head coach from Florida Atlantic and have seen a big roster turnover.
Only three players (Will Tschetter, Nimari Burnett, Jace Howard) are back from last year, with six transfers and four freshmen comprising the rest of the roster.
Given that, it might take some time this season for the Wolverines to jell. Auburn transfer Tre Donaldson (13.0 points per game) and Ohio State transfer Roddy Gayle (12.0) lead the Wolverines in scoring through the first two games.
“We don’t know our team well enough, our team doesn’t know us well enough,” May said. “When I say well enough, to compete for a championship level right now. It’s November, so our job as coaches is to figure out solutions to our problems.”
