In Juwan Howard’s first season as Michigan head coach, the Wolverines will face the team that kept it from winning a national title in 2013.
U-M will head to Louisville for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the conference announced Thursday morning. While the two teams have played multiple times in the NCAA Tournament, this is the first time the two have played in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The game will be on Dec. 3 with the TV network to be determined at a later date.
Michigan’s other known non-conference games for next season include a Gavitt Games matchup at home against Creighton, a home game against Oregon and a trip to the Bahamas for the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis. The field for that tournament includes Alabama, Gonzaga, Iowa State, North Carolina, Oregon, Seton Hall and Southern Miss.
The last meeting between Michigan and Louisville came in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament in 2017. The Wolverines won that contest 73-69 behind 26 points from Moritz Wagner.
The past season under first-year head coach Chris Mack, the Cardinals went 20-14 overall and 10-8 in the ACC. Louisville made the NCAA Tournament, but lost in the first round to Minnesota 86-76.
It should be a difficult test for U-M as Louisville returns three of its top four scorers and is bringing in a top 15 ranked recruiting class. The Cardinals are in the top 5 of the majority of preseason top 25 lists. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello has them at No. 5, Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo has them at No. 4 and Rob Dauster of NBC Sports has the Cardinals at No. 5.
Forward Jordan Nwora was expected to leave for the NBA Draft, but he returned to Louisville Last season, he averaged 17 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Cardinals and was named third-team All-ACC. He also shot 37.4 percent from 3-point range.
Andy Katz of NCAA.com said Nwora was the favorite to be the top small forward in the country next season.
“Nwora returns to the Cardinals after flirting with the NBA draft,” Katz wrote. “The 6-foot-8 junior will be in contention for ACC player of the year and could lead the Cardinals to a top three finish in the conference.”
Center Steven Enoch also decided to return to Louisville next season instead of heading to the NBA. The Cardinals also return junior guard Darius Perry who averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists over the final three games.
New Michigan assistant coach Phil Martelli will get to face one of his former players as the Cardinals added guard Fresh Kimble as a graduate transfer from St. Joseph’s. Kimble averaged 15.6 points per game last season. Louisville also brings in wing Samuell Williamson, who Rivals ranked as the No. 19 player in the 2019 class.
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