With the conference tournaments all said and done, the Michigan Wolverines have their eyes on the biggest prize. Not since 1989 have they won a national championship on the hardwood. While Michigan has had many excellent teams in the last 35 years, the last four to get to the national title bout just did not get it done. Frankly, Dusty May has the team this year to make that dream a reality.
But for any of that to happen, May needs this big man down low to show up for them in a major way. That would be defensive maven center Aday Mara. While much has been made about the Wolverines' two other stars this season in forward Yaxel Lendeborg and guard Elliot Cadeau, Mara has been the straw that stirs the drink defensively. He just won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, by the way...
The reason for this is if Michigan is going to run the gauntlet in the NCAA Tournament, it will have to do so with great menacing defense in and around the paint. If the Wolverines can regularly make their opposition uncomfortable, that will go a long way towards them finding themselves offensively within the context of any tournament game. If Michigan is sound on defense, it can beat just about anyone.
Mara will have to hold his own on offense as well, but he must be a tone-setter for them on defense.
Aday Mara has be the reason why Michigan advances in March Madness
Even if the betting odds were in Michigan's favor coming into the Big Ten Tournament, you do not win games on paper. You win them with discipline, effort, and execution. While the scoring may come and go with whoever Michigan ends up playing during the NCAA Tournament, as long as Mara remains a defensive star for them, everything should be fine. Michigan has to keep these games within reason.
Overall, the play of Cadeau in the backcourt and Lendeborg out on the wing may elevate this national championship-contending team's ceiling, but you have to make the sure the floor does not cave in on you. That is why Mara is so important. You need to make the other team earn every bucket it gets in the paint. If it gets hot from distance, there is not a lot you can do, other than hope your shots fall, too.
Ultimately, the Big Ten Tournament final loss to Purdue could be a reflection of what is necessary going forward. The Boilermakers shot 53 percent from the field. That cannot happen again if Michigan wants to be cutting down the nets at the end of the day. Right now, much will be made about Michigan's awful shooting and Lendeborg's ankle injury, but this team must regroup here in a hurry.
Purdue was more than a worth adversary, but Michigan has to know it might face only Purdues now..