# Michigan Basketball's 3 Good, 3 Bad for 2026-27 Season

> Michigan basketball's preseason shows promise with strong guard pairing and rebounding, but 3-point shooting and rebounding concerns loom.
- Title: Michigan Basketball's 3 Good, 3 Bad for 2026-27 Season
- Summary: Michigan basketball's preseason shows promise with strong guard pairing and rebounding, but 3-point shooting and rebounding concerns loom. Michigan's 2026-27…
- Keywords: michigan, basketball, trey mckenney, elliot cadeau, moustapha thiam, roddy gayle jr, 3-point shooting, rebounding, fouls, sports, Basketball's, Good
- Source: Michigan Wolverines On SI — https://si.com/college/michigan/basketball/3-good-3-bad-from-michigan-basketball-exhibition-games-ahead-2026-27-season
- Published: 2026-10-27T15:00:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: michigan, basketball, trey mckenney, elliot cadeau, moustapha thiam, roddy gayle jr, 3-point shooting, rebounding, fouls, sports
## Preseason Start
Michigan basketball's regular season begins Monday, Nov. 2 after three exhibition games.
## Exhibition Record
Michigan went 2-1 in exhibition games, beating Eastern Michigan and Oregon State before losing to Houston.
## Trey McKenney/Elliot Cadeau Pairing
McKenney scored 21 points against Eastern Michigan, Cadeau had 27 points against Oregon State.
## Moustapha Thiam Excitement
Thiam, a Cincinnati transfer, will be Michigan's best rebounder and double-doubled against Oregon State.
## Roddy Gayle Jr. Impact
Gayle Jr. scored 14 points against Houston with 2-of-5 three-pointers after being cleared to play.
## 3-Point Shooting Concern
Michigan shot 25% and 27% from three against Oregon State and Houston after 39% against Eastern Michigan.
## Rebounding Woes
Michigan rebounded +3 against Eastern Michigan but -6 and -7 against Oregon State and Houston.
## Foul Issues Carry Over
McKenney fouled out against Oregon State, Cadeau fouled out twice, and Estrella had four fouls against Houston.
## Key to Success
Keeping Thiam healthy and out of foul trouble is critical for Michigan's 2026-27 season.
## Team Strategy Shift
Michigan will rely on Thiam and Estrella for rebounding, with Reed or Costello filling in at the '4'.
## Season Impact
Michigan's 2026-27 season hinges on improving 3-point shooting and rebounding after preseason struggles.
## Key takeaway

Michigan's 2026-27 basketball season starts with a 2-1 exhibition record, highlighting guard duo Trey McKenney and Elliot Cadeau's potential but also 3-point shooting and rebounding challenges.