Trey McKenney’s midrange game could tweak Michigan Basketball’s offensive identity

The Michigan men’s basketball team had a clear offensive identity under Dusty May. Like the Houston Rockets nearly a decade ago when James Harden won the MVP, the Wolverines shot mostly threes and lay-ups, emphasizing getting to the paint and kicking the ball out if you couldn’t get a good look near the basket.

That identity could change in Mike Boynton Jr.’s first year at the helm, especially if Trey McKenney makes the sophomore leap we’ve seen premiere Michigan guards make before. The Wolverines could become your dad’s favorite basketball team with how often they could shoot mid-range jumpers.

As CBB Analytics pointed out in the above post, including free throws, McKenney averaged the most points per midrange shot attempt (1.30 points per shot). After scoring 39 points on 30 attempts, McKenney was the most efficient midrange shooter in college basketball last season.

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Most of May’s staff from last season is still in Ann Arbor, and after the success of the last two seasons, I don’t expect a complete shift in offensive identity. But with Michigan’s current personnel, more mid-range shots may be on the menu, which would mean a potential shift away from Michigan’s analytically-driven offensive philosophy.

If we’re expecting McKenney to have the ball more in his hands this season, more midrange shots feels like a reasonable expectation. And while the midrange bucket is seen as a dying art in modern basketball, if you can knock down those shots at an efficient clip, you can get tough buckets late in close games.

Another reason for Michigan’s lack of midrange looks the past two seasons has been its sheer size. With 7-footers Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin often playing at the same time, spacing was harder to come by, making midrange looks few and far between. And last season, the Wolverines thrived around the rim with Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. so often that Michigan didn’t need midrange looks, aside from the 30 from McKenney and the occasional push…

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Publish date : 2026-09-16 20:00:00

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