Michigan’s Defense Thrives Behind Aday Mara’s Impact in the Paint
So, let’s talk about what Michigan basketball is doing right now — because honestly, it’s one of the more fascinating early-season stories, and a lot of it comes back to how this team is defending, especially with Aday Mara anchoring the paint.
Michigan just steamrolled San Diego State in Las Vegas, winning 94–54 and moving to 5-0. And the crazy part is that the victory wasn’t just about hot shooting or an explosive offense. It was really about the way Michigan forced San Diego State into exactly the types of shots modern analytics say you shouldn’t take — long twos, floaters, awkward mid-range jumpers. Those shots are the least efficient in basketball, and Dusty May has built a system that practically funnels opponents straight into them.
Also Read:- Barnaby Joyce’s Sudden Exit Sends Shockwaves Through Canberra
- Tragedy Unfolds in Hong Kong’s Tai Po as Fire Claims Dozens of Lives
What makes that work so well is Michigan’s size, and this is where Aday Mara’s presence becomes impossible to ignore. When players try to get anywhere near the rim, they’re met with either Mara’s length swatting shots away or Morez Johnson Jr. flying in from nowhere to contest vertically. After a few of those moments, opponents start second-guessing every drive. You could see it Monday night — once the Aztecs had a couple attempts erased at the rim, they settled for those floaters and mid-range jumpers Michigan wants them to take.
May even pulled up the numbers on his phone afterward, and they backed up what he’d been seeing. Through the previous game, opponents had made just 13 of 39 mid-range attempts and only 7 of 29 floaters. Michigan will take those percentages every single game. According to May, that defensive plan — one he and assistant Mike Boynton Jr. have used for years — has only cost them a game or two in seven full seasons combined.
San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said he knew the challenge coming in. His team hit enough early floaters to hang around at first, but eventually the percentages caught up. That’s exactly the defensive chess match Michigan wants to create. You might hit a couple early, but can you make those shots for 40 minutes? May is convinced the answer, for almost every opponent, is no.
On top of that, Michigan’s perimeter players have fully bought into the system. They scramble, rotate, and cover for each other, making sure teams rarely get clean catch-and-shoot threes. With the rim protected by Mara and the arc protected by smart, energized guards, opponents are squeezed into that uncomfortable middle zone.
May said back in September that he wanted Michigan to become one of the best defensive teams in the country. Watching what’s happening now — the discipline, the length, the rotations, and the confidence — it really does feel like the Wolverines are moving in that direction. And with Aday Mara shutting down the paint, that defensive identity is becoming more real every game.
Read More:
0 Comments