The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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36 THE WOLVERINE ❱ NOVEMBER 2025 2025-26 BASKETBALL PREVIEW pushed Aday Mara to be more physical and be more aggressive. He might be the most pleasant surprise so far. He's a hard worker … and he's going to add something to our group that no one else does. He has a unique ability to set physical ball screens and still get to the rim and catch lobs." BACKCOURT BOASTS MIX OF EXPERIENCE AND GREAT POTENTIAL Many of those lobs will be thrown by the guys handling the ball in the back- court, an area May and staff also went to the portal to upgrade in the offseason. North Carolina point guard Elliot Cadeau replaces Tre Donaldson, off to Miami af- ter one year as a Wolverine, and they ex- pect him to be a facilitator for the other scorers. Shooting has been the knock on Ca- deau, but he's come a long way this off- season, May praised, after he shot 33.7 percent last year for the Tar Heels. "He's shot at a 50 percent clip from three in five-on-fives since he's been here — he's shot the ball well so far," May said during the team's Sept. 30 media day. "Just watching him shoot, he has great balance, a great base, and it comes out clean." But it's his ability to get in the paint and find teammates that's endeared him to the team, senior shooting guard Roddy Gayle Jr. noted. "Playing with Elliot is carefree," he said. "Playing with a guard like that gets every- one involved. … He likes to get the ball up fast, and that's something Dusty really wants to embrace this year." "Tre Donaldson got us 27 wins, Sweet 16, a banner," May added. "He was our point guard last year, and I'm never go- ing to say anything negative about him. He made some big, big plays down the stretch. "This year it's Elliot, [sophomore] L.J. [Cason], Roddy Gayle [Jr.], who's moved into more of a primary playmaking role, and then Yaxel's been a playmaker. We've just done a much better job of making bet- ter decisions, of simplifying our approach. Up to this point, that's been a real pleasant surprise, but the other team's defense will have a say in the turnovers as well." Gayle had his ups and downs a year ago, averaging 9.8 points per game in starting 25 of 36 contests but shooting only 23.2 Slimmer Trey McKenney Is Ready To Impact Michigan coach Dusty May hit the ground running on the re- cruiting trail the minute he took the job, assembling a competitive roster. He also had an eye to the future, making in-state, class of 2025 guard Trey McKenney his priority from Day 1. It paid off in a big way when he landed his pledge and signed him last year. Now, McKenney has likely earned his way into the lineup as a true freshman after an outstanding summer. "He obviously looks different than he did in high school, much more athletic, much slimmer," May said. "When you see guys ev- ery day, you don't notice the amount of weight they've dropped because we're with them at least five or six days a week. But he's moving better. He's staying in front of the basketball. "Just like any freshman, he has really good days and then he has some other subpar days, just like everyone on our roster. But he's been awesome to coach. He wants to be better. He wants to win. He loves representing Michigan. Trey McKenney is a lot of what's right about college basketball." The 6-4, 225-pounder out of Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary's averaged 23.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, shooting 42 percent from long range. He has a 6-9 wingspan, a trait that's helped him defensively, and has an incredibly high basketball IQ. "He's just ahead of the curve physically, has a high IQ, shoots the ball at an elite level from all three levels," graduate wing Nimari Burnett said. "You could just see that, especially in high school. He was above [other freshmen] in those areas. He's going to help tremendously." Though he's lost 18 pounds, he's still plenty strong enough to bang with forwards defensively on switches. Graduate guard Roddy Gayle Jr. praised his improved passing and ability to read defenses that complement his scoring, which is already at a high level. None of it surprises May, who saw all of that and more when he was recruiting him. "I feel like we had a pretty good idea of what Trey can do," he said. "He can play-make; he can make shots. He's just been a little bit better version than what we anticipated, and we expected a lot out of him." Something that will continue throughout this season and beyond given his outstanding potential. — Chris Balas Junior transfer Elliot Cadeau (at left, being guarded by sophomore L.J. Cason), who left North Carolina after two seasons, was rated as the No. 64 overall player and No. 17 point guard in the portal. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY Head coach Dusty May said McKenney, a McDonald's All- American and 2025 USA Men's Nike Hoop Summit Team member, "has just been a little bit better ver- sion than what we anticipated, and we expected a lot out of him." PHOTO COURTESY NIKE HOOP SUMMIT