Northern Michigan vs. Michigan: Wolverines tip off 2012-13 with exhibition game

The Michigan Wolverines are set to take on the Northern Michigan Wildcats in an exhibition game on Thursday night, but they will do it without star guard Trey Burke. The sophomore guard was suspended for a "violation of team standards," so he will miss the exhibition match at the Crisler Center at 7 p.m. ET. Head coach John Beilein says that freshman Spike Albrecht will start in Burke's place against Nothern Michigan.

Michigan is ranked No. 5 in the preseason coaches poll after a strong 2011-2012 campaign in which Michigan finished as a Big Ten co-champion and qualified as a four-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Burke won Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and Tim Hardaway Jr. made third-team All-Big Ten as a guard.

The Wolverines are expected to challenge for the Big Ten championship again this season, but the Indiana Hoosiers and Ohio State Buckeyes are the presumptive favorites based on the initial polls, so it will be nice to get a look at the depth behind Burke for Michigan on Thursday night in a low stakes environment.