Michigan to host Bowling Green, Detroit's Justin Turner in season opener

With the start of the college basketball season fast approaching, Michigan finally has its opening opponent in place.

The Wolverines will begin Year 2 of the Juwan Howard era and kick off their 2020-21 campaign against Bowling Green on Nov. 25 at Crisler Center. The Falcons announced the nonconference matchup on Monday.

Bowling Green is coming off a 21-10 season and a second-place finish in the Mid-American Conference East Division under coach Michael Huger, who is entering his sixth year at the helm. The Falcons return four of their top five scorers, three starters and a pair of All-MAC selections in fifth-year senior guard Justin Turner and senior wing Daeqwon Plowden (12.7 points, 8.5 rebounds).

Turner, a former Detroit Renaissance standout, averaged 18.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists last season while shooting 36.1% from 3-point range. He earned All-MAC first-team honors each of the past two seasons while leading the Falcons to 43 total wins and back-to-back 12-6 conference campaigns.

Turner entered the transfer portal in the spring and was one of the top grad transfers on the market before he opted to return to Bowling Green for his final season.

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The game will serve as a homecoming of sorts for Turner and sophomore wing Chandler Turner, another Detroit native who starred at Renaissance High. It will also mark the 13th meeting between the programs and first encounter since 2010. Michigan leads the all-time series, 9-3.

In addition to the season opener, Michigan has three other known nonconference home games: Nov. 29 against Oakland, Dec. 6 against Central Florida and Dec. 9 against N.C. State, as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

The Big Ten is one of the few leagues that has still yet to announce its conference schedule.

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @jamesbhawkins