Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Michigan
Men's Basketball Taking on Reigning National Champion Michigan in Sunday Exhibition
10/9/2026 5:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game set for 2 p.m. start in Ann Arbor
| Men's Basketball at Michigan | |
| Dates/Time | Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026 | 2 p.m. |
| Venue | Crisler Center (12,707) | Ann Arbor, Mich. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch Live | B1G+ |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| @EMU_MBB | @EMUAthletics | |
| @emumbb | @emuathletics | |
| Tickets | Tickets for home games |
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Eastern Michigan University opens the Billy Donlon era Sunday, Oct. 11, when the Eagles travel to face defending national champion University of Michigan at Crisler Center, tipping off at 2 p.m.
Matchup Overview
The exhibition gives Eastern Michigan its first look at a Michigan program coming off a 37-3 season, three Big Ten titles and the 2026 NCAA National Championship. The Wolverines lost three lottery picks from that squad — Morez Johnson Jr. (No. 9), Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 11) and Aday Mara (No. 12) — but return a proven core and have added significant frontcourt depth through the transfer portal. For Eastern, the trip to Ann Arbor is the first competitive test of a rebuilt roster assembled around Donlon's standard of toughness and selflessness. The two schools sit less than 10 miles apart, and Sunday's game will be the first meeting between the programs since Dec. 16, 2023.
The Donlon Era Begins
Billy Donlon was named the 31st head coach in Eastern Michigan history in March 2026, bringing 26 years of collegiate experience and a 155-133 career record as a head coach. His résumé includes six seasons at Wright State and three at Kansas City, as well as four seasons as associate head coach at Clemson immediately before arriving in Ypsilanti. Donlon also has a direct connection to Sunday's opponent, having served as an assistant at the University of Michigan during the 2016-17 season.
The culture Donlon is building rests on three pillars: toughness, accountability and selflessness. He has described the program's standard in his own words: "It's not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less," and "We're not shooting selfish shots, hungry shots." He has also set a high bar for passion, saying, "It's really hard to play for us if you're not in love with the game of basketball."
On the development side, Donlon's goal is to move every player up one letter grade in a specific skill each season. On the community side, he has set a milestone for the program: deliver the first-ever men's basketball sellout at the George Gervin GameAbove Center. A summer trip to Canada gave the new staff an early look at the roster, and the Eagles enter the exhibition with a fully healthy group.
Sunday also marks the Crisler Center debut of Michigan head coach Mike Boynton Jr., who was elevated to the position after two seasons on staff that included the 2026 championship run. The two coaches have no prior head-to-head history and did not overlap during their respective tenures at Michigan.
Players to Watch
Eastern Michigan brings a deep transfer class to Ann Arbor. Sencire Harris (Canton, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary's/Cincinnati/West Virginia/Illinois) was among the team's scoring leaders during the Canada trip and gives Donlon an experienced guard who has played at three Power Five programs. Braelon Green (Southfield, Mich./Southern California Academy/Arizona State/Bowling Green) has been noted for his consistency since mid-summer and provides a versatile presence on the perimeter. Kilian Brockhoff (Cuxhaven, Germany/William & Mary) and Emanuel Richards (Irmo, S.C./Christ School/Longwood) also stood out as scoring contributors during the preseason trip. Up front, Kaden Johnson (Hartford, Mich./Hartford/Huntington) and Mohammad Habhab (Dearborn, Mich./Fordson/Central Michigan) give the Eagles size and perimeter skill at the forward spots.
Michigan counters with two of the Big Ten's most decorated returning players. Elliot Cadeau, a senior guard who transferred from North Carolina, was named the 2026 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and earned Preseason All-Big Ten recognition this fall. He started all 40 games last season, averaging 10.5 points and a team-high 5.9 assists, totaling 234 assists on the year. Trey McKenney, a sophomore guard, averaged 9.9 points and led the Wolverines with 68 three-pointers at 39.1 percent as a freshman, earning Big Ten All-Freshman honors. McKenney showed his late-game ability during Michigan's international tour, scoring 25 points — including 19 of the team's 22 fourth-quarter points alongside Cadeau — in an 84-81 comeback win over Serbian club Mega Superbet. The Wolverines have also bolstered their frontcourt with graduate transfers J.P. Estrella (Tennessee) at 6-11, Jalen Reed (LSU) at 6-9, and 7-2 junior Moustapha Thiam (UCF/Cincinnati).
Series History
Michigan leads the all-time series 29-3, a rivalry dating to Feb. 16, 1931. Eastern Michigan's three victories include a 67-65 road win in 1981, an 89-83 overtime triumph in 1997 and a 45-42 defensive win at Crisler Center on Dec. 9, 2014. The 1997 upset came at No. 21 Michigan — just four days after the Wolverines had beaten No. 1 Duke — as the Eagles overcame a 13-point second-half deficit. The most recent meeting, on Dec. 16, 2023, ended 83-66 in Michigan's favor at Crisler Center, though Eastern Michigan's bench outscored the Wolverines' reserves 29-23 in that contest.
How to Follow
Sunday's exhibition tips off at 2 p.m. at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. The game will be streamed on B1G+. Live stats are available at stats.statbroadcast.com.
