
Spoelstra: No need to penalize Ball any further
Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
Michigan basketball has scheduled a home-and-home series with Marquette for the 2026-27 season, starting with a game in Ann Arbor in 2026. The Wolverines will then travel to Milwaukee for the return match in 2027.
Michigan basketball is already working on its 2026-27 national championship defense, and that includes adding a nonconference opponent.
The program announced Wednesday, April 14, that it would play a home-and-home series with Marquette the next two seasons, with the first of those games taking place in Ann Arbor in 2026. Michigan will go to Milwaukee for the return trip, playing at Al McGuire Center in 2027. The exact date, tipoff time and TV channel are to be announced.
Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau (3) moves the ball down the court during the second half of the NCAA national championship game against Connecticut at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.
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Michigan comes off a NCAA Tournament championship season in which it played the toughest schedule in America , according to KenPom. Last season, U-M ultimately faced six of the seven other teams that made the Elite Eight, including all three other Final Four teams.
Michigan is still putting its roster together, but does know it will return key backcourt contributors Elliot Cadeau (Final Four Most Outstanding Player) and Trey McKenney (Big Ten All-Freshman team), as well as reserve big Oscar Goodman.
U-M, which landed J.P Estrella from the portal (Tennessee) is waiting to see if Morez Johnson Jr. or Aday Mara return for another season — both are in the process of getting NBA feedback as they make their decision.
The Wolverines are set to lose several important players, including Big Ten player of the year Yaxel Lendeborg, as well as guards Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle Jr. and forward Will Tschetter.
Marquette, meanwhile, comes off one of its most disappointing seasons in recent memory. The Golden Eagles went 12-20 (7-13 Big East) and did not qualify for the postseason. Coach Shaka Smart is expected to return for his seventh season, but the clock is ticking for him to return Marquette to its glory days of a few decades ago.
Marquette has a solid nucleus of players set to return in Michael Phillips II, Adrien Stevens, Royce Parham, Nigel James Jr. and Damarius Owens and will certainly look to this Michigan matchup as a litmus test for where it stands in the nonconference portion of next season.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball to host Marquette in 2026 in home-and-home series
Michigan basketball will host Marquette in Ann Arbor in 2026, with the exact date to be announced.
The second game will be held at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee in 2027.
The series is part of Michigan's preparation for defending their national championship during the 2026-27 season.

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