The Michigan Wolverines closed their European exhibition tour with their most resilient performance of the trip, overcoming a 14-point deficit before defeating Serbian club Mega SUPERBET, 84-81, on Thursday at Sportski Centar.
After struggling through much of the first half, Michigan found another level after halftime. Trey McKenney and Elliot Cadeau took over down the stretch, combining for 19 of the Wolverines' 22 fourth-quarter points to complete the comeback and give Michigan its first victory of the European tour.
McKenney led all scorers with 25 points and added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Cadeau finished with 15 points in just over 17 minutes, while J.P. Estrella contributed 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting before fouling out. Quinn Costello added nine points, five rebounds and three assists, while Oscar Goodman finished with eight points, five rebounds and four assists.
Mega Controls the Opening Half
Michigan entered the game looking for a stronger finish after dropping its first two exhibitions against Lithuanian competition. Instead, the Wolverines once again found themselves playing from behind early.Mega SUPERBET took a 24-19 lead after the opening quarter. Michigan briefly turned the momentum around at the start of the second period when McKenney and Marcus Møller connected on consecutive three-pointers, giving the Wolverines a 25-24 advantage.
Mega quickly answered.
Michigan struggled with turnovers and allowed the Serbian club to create transition opportunities. A 23-8 run put Mega firmly in control and pushed its lead to 47-33 with 1:35 remaining before halftime.
Michigan managed to cut the deficit slightly before the break. Estrella scored on a hook shot, and Goodman knocked down a three-pointer to help the Wolverines head into halftime trailing 49-38.
The challenge was clear: Michigan needed a much better second half.
Wolverines Flip the Game After the Break
The response came immediately.
Goodman opened the second half with another three-pointer, followed by long-range makes from Costello and McKenney. Suddenly, the Wolverines were within three points at 53-50.
Mega managed to stabilize and rebuild part of its advantage, but Michigan continued to apply pressure. Malachi Brown provided a spark with a dunk, McKenney followed with a jumper and Møller hit another three-pointer to tie the game at 59.
Mega answered with a short run of its own, but McKenney continued to keep Michigan within striking distance. With 33 seconds remaining in the third quarter, he knocked down a pull-up three-pointer, sending the Wolverines into the final period down only 65-62.
Michigan had turned a double-digit deficit into a one-possession game.
McKenney and Cadeau Deliver in the Fourth
Mega opened the fourth quarter by extending its lead to 67-64, but that proved to be the beginning of Michigan's decisive run.
Cadeau began attacking the defense and drew fouls, converting five consecutive free throws to put the Wolverines ahead. He then found Costello for a corner three-pointer, giving Michigan a four-point advantage. McKenney followed by attacking the basket for another score, and Cadeau then drilled a three-pointer. The sequence completed a 13-0 Michigan run.
In just a few minutes, the Wolverines had transformed a three-point deficit into a 77-67 lead.
Cadeau added another layup to push Michigan's advantage to 80-69 with 3:40 remaining. For the first time all night, the Wolverines appeared firmly in control.
Mega, however, still had one final push.
Mega Makes It Interesting Late
The Serbian club refused to go quietly.
McKenney appeared to give Michigan breathing room with a three-point play with 1:23 remaining, restoring a nine-point advantage. Mega responded by scoring seven straight points, cutting the deficit to just two.
With two seconds remaining, Andrej Musicki connected on a three-pointer to make it 83-81.
Michigan needed one final possession to secure the victory.
McKenney was fouled and calmly made one of two free throws, giving the Wolverines an 84-81 lead. Mega had one last chance to force overtime, but Lucas Maniema's desperation three-point attempt missed at the buzzer. Michigan had survived.
Numbers Tell the Story
The Wolverines finished the game shooting 48.3 percent from the field and connected on 12 three-pointers. They also won the rebounding battle 41-35.
Defensively, Michigan held Mega to 37.3 percent shooting from the floor. The Serbian club struggled particularly from beyond the arc, making only six of its 32 three-point attempts.
The victory gave Michigan a 1-2 record during its three-game European tour. The Wolverines previously fell to Lithuania's senior national team and Lithuania's National B Team.
The trip, however, was about more than the exhibition record. Michigan used the overseas experience to build chemistry, introduce players to different styles of basketball and give its developing roster additional practice and game repetitions before the 2026-27 season.
Injury Concern Overshadows Victory
The victory came with a major concern, however, as freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. suffered an apparent right-leg injury roughly 20 seconds into the game.
McCoy made a steal and drove in transition before going down. He was unable to put weight on the leg and was eventually carried from the court by teammates. He did not return to the game.
Michigan did not immediately provide a diagnosis or timetable for McCoy's return, saying that the freshman would continue to be evaluated.
McCoy had already impressed during the European trip, making his injury an especially significant concern for a Michigan team counting on its talented young roster.
Still, the Wolverines finished the night with the result they wanted.
McKenney and Cadeau provided the late-game offense, the defense improved after halftime, and Michigan showed the type of resilience that can become valuable once the regular season begins.
For head coach Mike Boynton Jr. and his players, the comeback represented an encouraging conclusion to a challenging overseas trip.
Michigan now heads home with its first European victory, valuable experience against international competition and another opportunity to build toward the upcoming season.
