Michigan releases nonconference schedule: Kentucky, UNC highlight travel-heavy slate

The Michigan men’s basketball nonconference schedule, released on Wednesday (Aug. 17), features blue bloods, in-state foes, and smaller programs across the country.

The announcement means Michigan knows all 31 of its opponents, and the locations, for the 2022-23 season. The only piece remaining is the dates for the Big Ten matchups, which should come within a few weeks.

The Wolverines, currently in France as part of an exhibition tour that will also take them to Greece, will return to Europe this winter. They’ll play Kentucky in London on Dec. 4 in a game that’s been rescheduled multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michigan will play a “neutral-site” game — in the eyes of the NET rankings, at least — in Charlotte, North Carolina, against North Carolina on Dec. 21. The Wolverines will play another ACC team, Virginia, as part of that ACC/Big Ten Challenge, on Nov. 29 at Crisler Center.

Michigan is part of the Legends Classic in Brooklyn the week before Thanksgiving. While the matchups have not been set, Michigan will play on Nov. 16 and 17 in a tournament that also includes Arizona State, Pittsburgh, and VCU.

The Wolverines will make the short drive to Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena to face Eastern Michigan on Nov. 11.

The rest of the nonconference slate is made up of guarantee or “buy” games, meaning Michigan has paid the opponent to come to Ann Arbor. This season, Purdue Fort Wayne (the season opener on Nov. 7), Lipscomb, Ohio, Jackson State, Lipscomb, and Central Michigan will take a paycheck to come to Crisler. Michigan also has one exhibition scheduled for Nov. 4 against Ferris State.

Michigan knows which Big Ten teams it will face twice and which it will only face once, but not the dates. It’s safe to say the first two will fall between Michigan’s London trip and the home game against Lipscomb on Dec. 17, with the remaining 18 conference games coming once the calendar turns to January.

Michigan’s entire nonconference schedule is below:

Nov. 4: Ferris State (exhibition)

Nov. 7: Purdue Fort Wayne

Nov. 11: Eastern Michigan (Detroit)

Nov. 16: Legends Classic (Brooklyn, New York)

Nov. 17: Legends Classic (Brooklyn, New York)

Nov. 20: Ohio

Nov. 23: Jackson State

Nov. 29: Virginia

Dec. 4: Kentucky (London)

Dec. 17: Lipscomb

Dec. 21: North Carolina (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Dec. 30: Central Michigan