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Michigan men's basketball has one of the tallest frontcourts in the country, and one of the more physical ones in that same regard.
It's part of the winning formula that has the No. 1-seeded Wolverines competing in the Men's NCAA Tournament national championship game against No. 2 UConn inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Leading the way for the Wolverines' frontcourt — whether physically or from a visual standpoint — has been Aday Mara.
REQUIRED READING: UConn vs Michigan prediction, key stat for national championship game
The UCLA transfer has been one of the more impactful players this postseason for the Wolverines, as he's averaging 16 points and six rebounds per game in the Men's NCAA Tournament to go along with 2.6 blocks per game.
He came up big for the Wolverines in the Final Four on Saturday when Yaxel Lendeborg was off the court dealing with injuries. He finished with a season-high 26 points and nine rebounds with two blocks against the Wildcats, then the No. 1 team in KenPom.
"Aday was sensational," Michigan coach Dusty May said of Mara after the Arizona game. "He was at the rim, catching lobs. He was a force down low. He was a pressure release up top. I mean, he's such a smart basketball player. And obviously, his rim protection — he did a great job on (Koa) Peat. He did a great job forcing a lot of those misses around the basket because of his aggression."
The matchup between Mara and UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. — who transferred from Michigan after Juwan Howard's firing — is going to be one of the more important matchups and deciding factors in the championship.
Here's a look at how Mara's size, including height, weight and statistical impact on the Wolverines:
Mara is listed at 7-foot-3 on Michigan's official roster. He is the tallest player on the Wolverines' roster, with freshman center Malick Kordel being the closest at 7-foot-2.
He is 6 inches shorter than former Florida redshirt freshman forward Olivier Rioux, who is 7-foot-9 and the tallest player in NCAA basketball history.
Mara is listed on Michigan's roster at 255 pounds. His weight is up 15 pounds from what it was listed on UCLA's roster last season as a sophomore.
Mara hails from Zaragoza, Spain. He has international basketball playing experience, as he plays for Spain’s National Team.
Mara is coming off a monster performance in the Final Four, where he finished with a season-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field to go along with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He is the third-leading scorer on the Wolverines at 12.2 points per game, and is second in rebounds at 6.8 boards per game.
Here's a game-by-game breakdown of Mara's stats in March Madness:
Here's a look at highlights of Mara in Michigan's Final Four semifinal win over Arizona:
Mara is listed as a junior on Michigan's roster. He started his collegiate career at UCLA, spending his first two seasons with the Bruins.
He is eligible for the upcoming NBA draft, which allows college basketball players to declare after one year in college. USA TODAY has Mara projected to go No. 21 overall to the Philadelphia 76ers in its latest NBA mock draft, which was released before the Sweet 16.
Here's what USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky has on Mara:
"Michigan center Aday Mara is one of the prospects who has helped himself the most during March Madness so far. The 7-foot-3 big man, who transferred from UCLA, is a fantastic rim protector. Opponents only attempt 19.9 percent of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is on the court, per CBB Analytics, which ranks near lowest among all NCAA players. He can also pass well, finding some awesome outlet looks in transition and at the rim."
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Aday Mara height, stats: How tall is Michigan basketball center?
Continue reading...
It's part of the winning formula that has the No. 1-seeded Wolverines competing in the Men's NCAA Tournament national championship game against No. 2 UConn inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Leading the way for the Wolverines' frontcourt — whether physically or from a visual standpoint — has been Aday Mara.
REQUIRED READING: UConn vs Michigan prediction, key stat for national championship game
The UCLA transfer has been one of the more impactful players this postseason for the Wolverines, as he's averaging 16 points and six rebounds per game in the Men's NCAA Tournament to go along with 2.6 blocks per game.
He came up big for the Wolverines in the Final Four on Saturday when Yaxel Lendeborg was off the court dealing with injuries. He finished with a season-high 26 points and nine rebounds with two blocks against the Wildcats, then the No. 1 team in KenPom.
"Aday was sensational," Michigan coach Dusty May said of Mara after the Arizona game. "He was at the rim, catching lobs. He was a force down low. He was a pressure release up top. I mean, he's such a smart basketball player. And obviously, his rim protection — he did a great job on (Koa) Peat. He did a great job forcing a lot of those misses around the basket because of his aggression."
The matchup between Mara and UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. — who transferred from Michigan after Juwan Howard's firing — is going to be one of the more important matchups and deciding factors in the championship.
Here's a look at how Mara's size, including height, weight and statistical impact on the Wolverines:
How tall is Aday Mara?
Mara is listed at 7-foot-3 on Michigan's official roster. He is the tallest player on the Wolverines' roster, with freshman center Malick Kordel being the closest at 7-foot-2.
He is 6 inches shorter than former Florida redshirt freshman forward Olivier Rioux, who is 7-foot-9 and the tallest player in NCAA basketball history.
Aday Mara weight
Mara is listed on Michigan's roster at 255 pounds. His weight is up 15 pounds from what it was listed on UCLA's roster last season as a sophomore.
Where is Aday Mara from?
Mara hails from Zaragoza, Spain. He has international basketball playing experience, as he plays for Spain’s National Team.
Aday Mara stats
Mara is coming off a monster performance in the Final Four, where he finished with a season-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field to go along with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He is the third-leading scorer on the Wolverines at 12.2 points per game, and is second in rebounds at 6.8 boards per game.
Here's a game-by-game breakdown of Mara's stats in March Madness:
- vs. Howard (First Round): 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds, six assist and three blocks
- vs. Saint Louis (Second Round): 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, five rebounds, five assists, four blocks and a steal
- vs. Alabama (Sweet 16): Eight points on 4-of-8 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks
- vs. Tennessee (Elite Eight): 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting with four rebounds, two blocks and a steal
- vs. Arizona (Final Four): 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks
Aday Mara highlights
Here's a look at highlights of Mara in Michigan's Final Four semifinal win over Arizona:
What year is Aday Mara in college?
Mara is listed as a junior on Michigan's roster. He started his collegiate career at UCLA, spending his first two seasons with the Bruins.
He is eligible for the upcoming NBA draft, which allows college basketball players to declare after one year in college. USA TODAY has Mara projected to go No. 21 overall to the Philadelphia 76ers in its latest NBA mock draft, which was released before the Sweet 16.
Here's what USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky has on Mara:
"Michigan center Aday Mara is one of the prospects who has helped himself the most during March Madness so far. The 7-foot-3 big man, who transferred from UCLA, is a fantastic rim protector. Opponents only attempt 19.9 percent of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is on the court, per CBB Analytics, which ranks near lowest among all NCAA players. He can also pass well, finding some awesome outlet looks in transition and at the rim."
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Aday Mara height, stats: How tall is Michigan basketball center?
Continue reading...
