SportbasketballNCAA Basketball
Michigan basketball smashes San Diego State in Players Era Festival
In a performance that felt less like a season opener and more like a statement, the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines didn't just beat San Diego State in their Players Era Festival debut; they absolutely eviscerated them, running away with a 94-54 victory that had the Michelob Ultra Arena buzzing.This wasn't your typical early-season feeling-out process; this was a declaration. From the opening tip, Coach Dusty May's squad looked like they'd been playing together for years, not weeks, completely flipping the script on an Aztecs program famous for its grit and physicality.After a brief 5-0 deficit that felt like a momentary blip, the Wolverines unleashed a devastating 32-10 run, a blitz that set the tone for the entire night and never really let up. The Aztecs managed a brief moment of hope, cutting the lead to nine with back-to-back threes, but Nimari Burnett, showing the kind of veteran poise this team will need, immediately answered with a triple of his own to snuff out the rally.The second half was a pure highlight reel, an 8-0 run to start, followed by individual flurries from Roddy Gayle Jr. and Elliot Cadeau that pushed the lead to 30, and then a spinning layup from the phenomenal Yaxel Lendeborg that inflated the advantage to a staggering 35 points.Even when the benches cleared, the onslaught continued, with a Trey McKenney three giving Michigan a 42-point lead before the final margin settled at a still-dominant 40. The stat sheet was a thing of beauty for Wolverines fans and a horror show for SDSU.Michigan’s utter dominance on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 49-23, was the engine of the victory, leading to a crushing 22-3 advantage in second-chance points and a 38-12 mauling in the paint. This was a complete team effort, a well-oiled machine with six players scoring in double figures.Lendeborg, living up to his preseason All-American hype, led the way with 15 points, but he was far from alone. Cadeau and the bruising Morez Johnson Jr.each dropped 13, while Gayle and Burnett chipped in 11 apiece, and Will Tschetter added 10. The new big man, Aday Mara, made his presence felt beyond the box score with seven points, a team-high eight boards, and three blocks, providing a formidable interior presence.Defensively, Michigan executed Coach May's philosophy to perfection, forcing San Diego State into a diet of difficult mid-range jumpers. The result was a brutal 27.4% shooting night for the Aztecs, who went a miserable 4-for-25 on jumpers outside the paint and couldn't buy a layup, finishing just 2-for-9 at the rim against U-M's overwhelming size. But beyond the numbers, it was the heart and hustle plays that truly defined this win.This was a team that wanted it more, plain and simple. You saw it when Tschetter lunged for an offensive board, when L.J. Cason dove on the floor for a loose ball at midcourt, and when Burnett, after ending up on his back on defense, popped up to deflect a pass that led to a transition bucket.This relentless energy carried into the second half, with Johnson muscling for offensive rebounds between two defenders and Gayle going on a personal 7-0 tear that included a steal on the inbounds pass. It was the kind of performance that sends a message to the rest of the country, and the Wolverines (5-0) have no time to rest on their laurels.They face a quick turnaround and a major test against No. 25 Auburn, the very program that ended their NCAA Tournament run last season, albeit now under the guidance of new coach Steven Pearl. If this game was any indication, Michigan is not just ready for the challenge; they're hungry for it.
#featured
#Michigan basketball
#San Diego State
#Players Era Festival
#NCAA Tournament
#Dusty May
#Yaxel Lendeborg
