SURPRISE MOVE: Michigan with a surprise attack to land a new WR despite team signing scandal

The Michigan men’s basketball team faces its toughest test of the season when it takes on St. John’s in the Gavitt Tipoff Games at Madison Square Garden.

St. John’s hopes to return to national prominence under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino after a long period of mediocrity. They last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, when they were ranked in the AP Top 25.

To that extent, this is a very different Red Storm team than the one that finished 18-15 last season. Following Pitino’s hiring, St. John’s became one of the most active teams in the Transfer Portal, with nine incoming transfers and two freshmen enrollees, according to 247Sports. Given that it’s November 13 and they’ve only played one game, the Red Storm are difficult to scout.

Joel Soriano, who averaged 15.2 points and a Big East-leading 11.9 rebounds last season, is one expected focal point. He was named to the All-Big East Second Team in 2022-23, when his 25 double-doubles ranked second in the country. The 6-foot-11 senior will put Tarris Reed Jr. and the Michigan frontcourt to the test.

Soriano led all scorers with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks in Stony Brook’s 90-74 victory. Despite not being a stretch ‘5,’ he did make two 3-pointers, the first of his career.

Daniss Jenkins, Chris Ledlum, Nahiem Alleyne, and Sean Conway joined Soriano on the Red Storm’s starting lineup. Ledlum, a graduate transfer from Harvard, finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, including nine offensive rebounds. Jenkins finished with 17 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, flirting with a triple-double.

KenPom predicts a one-point victory for the Wolverines, 77-76, giving Michigan a 52% chance of winning.