The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines dominated La Salle 102-50 on Sunday at Crisler Center, improving to 11-0 for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Freshman Trey McKenney led with 17 points, while the defense forced 18 turnovers. This marked Michigan's most lopsided win of the year and fifth 100-point game in six outings.
Michigan basketball returned from an eight-day break with a commanding performance against La Salle, extending its unbeaten streak to 11 games. The Wolverines, ranked No. 2, started sluggishly, trailing by one early in the first half before unleashing a full-court press that sparked a 22-2 run over nearly six minutes. This burst included eight La Salle turnovers and three Michigan 3-pointers, flipping the momentum decisively.
Trey McKenney topped the scoring with 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including three 3s. Elliot Cadeau and Aday Mara each added 14 points, with Mara securing 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double. L.J. Cason contributed 13 points off the bench, also hitting three 3s. Michigan's depth shone through, with six players in double figures and 13 seeing action. The team shot 48.3% from beyond the arc (14-of-29) and limited La Salle to 27.9% from the field and 2-of-21 from 3-point range.
"It got us going," coach Dusty May said of the press. "By us getting them sped up a little bit, they weren't able to control the tempo like they were the first five minutes."
La Salle (4-9) struggled throughout, scoring just 17 points in the second half. Jaeden Marshall led the Explorers with 15 points, shooting 10-of-11 from the line. Michigan pulled away further with a 12-0 run early in the second half, highlighted by an alley-oop from Yaxel Lendeborg to Mara and a dunk by Lendeborg. The lead ballooned to 56 points, with Howard Eisley Jr. capping the scoring with his first career points on a 3-pointer.
"I think our defense is ridiculously elite," Will Tschetter said. "That's going to be what carries us where we want to go this season."
This victory, Michigan's eighth by 25 or more points, underscores its balanced attack and defensive prowess ahead of a break until December 29 against McNeese.
