No. 4 UConn and No. 16 Michigan meet Friday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. ET in a highly anticipated rematch of the 2026 national championship game at TD Garden in Boston. The game will be televised on TNT and streamed on Fubo.
Projected Starting Lineups
Michigan: G Elliot Cadeau, G Trey McKenney, G Roddy Gayle Jr., F JP Estrella, C Moustapha Thiam.
UConn: G Silas Demary Jr., G Braylon Mullins, G Jayden Ross, F Nik Khamenia, C Na'jai Hines.
Key Matchups
Both teams boast elite backcourts. Cadeau and Demary Jr. are frontrunners for the Bob Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard. Cadeau is a creative playmaker, while Demary Jr. is a tenacious 6-foot-5 defender. The frontcourt features portal transfers: UConn's Na'jai Hines (Seton Hall) and Michigan's Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati), both expected to make immediate impacts. Hines' foul tendency when hedging ball screens and Thiam's decision-making as a 7-foot-2 center will be critical factors.
Preseason Indicators
UConn's defense appeared ahead of schedule in the preseason, stifling Purdue for stretches. Michigan's defense looks less connected, raising questions whether it will rank in the top 25 or top 50 nationally. UConn's depth includes potential first-round pick Colben Landrew off the bench, while Michigan lost five-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. to a knee injury.
Prediction and Picks
The spread opened at UConn -3 and moved to -6. Most experts pick UConn straight up, but the analysis suggests Michigan +6 is the value play given the even talent level, Michigan's physical guards, and concerns about Hines' foul trouble and UConn's backup big Oskar Giltay. Pick: Michigan +6.
