This will be the first time Michigan plays Cincinnati since 1992 Final Four, when Jalen Rose and Chris Webber led Wolverines to national title game.
It took a little while longer than expected, but the 2025-26 Michigan basketball schedule is officially complete.
The Wolverines announced their final contest which had been in the works for months. They will host Cincinnati in an exhibition game Friday, Oct. 17, at Crisler Center, with tip off scheduled for 6 p.m.
Eight days later on Oct. 25, U-M will go to New York for an exhibition against St. John's in Madison Square Garden.
The Wolverines officially start the 2025 regular season Nov. 3 against Oakland, coached by Greg Kampe.
Michigan is 3-1 against Cincinnati (though this exhibition will not count toward the official record). It will be a different score than the original contest, a 28-25 Michigan victory in 1921, and the second, a 24-14 Michigan win in 1923.
The most important game the two sides have played came in the 1992 Final Four, when Michigan's "Fab Five" topped Cincinnati, 76-72, in Minneapolis to advance to the national championship game against Duke.
Cincinnati is coached by Wes Miller and has 12 new players, led by six veteran transfers – Jalen Celestine, Sencire Harris, Jalen Haynes, Kerr Kriisa, Baba Miller and Moustapha Thiam – who enter Cincinnati averaging 80 career games played at the college level.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball finalizes 2025-26 schedule with home exhibition
Category: General Sports
