FORT MYERS, Fla. — In a commanding performance, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the No. 22 ranked Xavier Musketeers 78-53 during the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Wednesday evening. Danny Wolf led the way with an impressive tally of 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Vlad Goldin contributed 18 points to secure the victory for Michigan. Tre Donaldson added 13 points, helping the Wolverines improve their record to 6-1 this season, while they held a comfortable 41-30 advantage at the break.
On the opposing side, Xavier (also 6-1) saw Ryan Conwell as its leading scorer with 19 points, supported by Zach Freemantle, who chipped in 14 points. However, the Musketeers struggled offensively, shooting just 20 out of 58 (34.5%) from the field. In contrast, Michigan displayed an efficient offensive effort, hitting 30 of 61 shots (49.2%), including making half of their attempts from beyond the arc.
The game was further highlighted by the presence of former Michigan basketball head coach John Beilein. Michigan leveraged an impressive 19-3 scoring run to extend their lead to 38-21. In the first half, Xavier struggled with ball control, committing 14 turnovers, while Michigan’s defense registered six steals.
Wolf was particularly impactful, scoring 16 of his points in the opening half and making four shots from three-point range. As for Xavier, their offense needs refinement moving forward. The Musketeers experienced scoring droughts in their previous game against South Carolina and found themselves in a similar position, managing only one field goal in a critical 7:15 stretch while Michigan surged ahead.
One pivotal moment occurred when Xavier narrowed the gap to 59-51 and managed to force a missed shot from Michigan. However, Will Tschetter secured an offensive rebound, assisting L.J. Cason for a three-pointer that widened Michigan’s lead to double digits once again. From that point forward, the Musketeers were unable to come within single digits for the remainder of the game.
Key statistics revealed that Xavier suffered from ball control issues, committing 19 turnovers compared to just 10 for Michigan. With their next matchup on the horizon, Xavier will host South Carolina State on Sunday. Meanwhile, Michigan prepares to travel to face the No. 15 Wisconsin Badgers in their Big Ten opener on Tuesday night.