Skip to main content
Michigan

Michigan accepts NIT bid, will host Toledo Tuesday

Chris Balasby: Chris Balas03/13/23Balas_Wolverine
michigan-portal-target-zyon-pullin-is-off-the-table
(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Juwan Howard’s fourth Michigan team fell well short of expectations this year, missing the NCAA Tournament after a disappointing loss to Rutgers in Thursday play at the Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines instead accepted an NIT bid and will face Toledo Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The No. 3 seed Wolverines are in a pod with No. 1 Clemson (vs. Morehead State), No. 4 UAB (vs Southern Miss), and No. 2 Vanderbilt (vs. Yale). They’ll be televised Tuesday at 7 p.m on ESPN2.

Initially, Michigan was listed as a 2 seed in the bracket released. The NIT has since corrected that, meaning U-M would play at Vandy in round two if both teams win.

RELATED

• Wolverine TV podcast: Rutgers loss, NIT (?) and what comes next for Michigan basketball

• Opinion: Michigan basketball — What needs to change in 2023-24?

Oklahoma State, Oregon, Rutgers, and Clemson were the No. 1 seeds. North Carolina would have received a bid but opted out.

Michigan missed several opportunities to make the NCAA Tournament, but the NIT will give several young Wolverines an opportunity to gain more experience. Point guard Dug McDaniel struggled against the Scarlet Knights in Chicago and can use the time, while freshman Jett Howard and sophomore shooting guard Kobe Bufkin — if they stick around and don’t enter the NBA Draft — could also use the reps.

Howard hinted after the Thursday loss his Michigan team would accept an NIT bid.

“I’m just so proud, and I’ll say it again, of how our guys competed all year,” he said after the 62-50 Michigan loss. “Yes, we have a young team, but we did not make excuses. That’s how you grow — by getting the opportunity. We’ve had four freshmen that start, Kobe being one of those four freshmen because he didn’t play last year. We also have [center] Tarris Reed, who’s another freshman that comes off the bench, and he gets a lot of minutes, as well.

“So this is a growing opportunity for our young men, and I think they grew up a lot this year. Yes, they want to continue to keep playing. I want to see them playing, and I want to be out there coaching them in the postseason.”

Wisconsin is the other Big Ten team in the field.

Michigan has not been in the NIT since 2007, Tommy Amaker’s last year at U-M.