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The weekend in college hoops
Texas Tech lands a potential impact player for this season, while Georgetown and others snag '26 commits. Plus Marquette's defensive dynamo is healthy, EuroBasket notes, and we dive into what makes Michigan a title contender.
Mike Miller
August 04, 2025
Good morning! Hope you had a terrific weekend! I spent mine at a 30th high school reunion, which probably qualifies me as old. Wonder if I could get an additional season of eligibility …
Let's get to the weekend’s news,
1. Michigan’s big bet on rebounding and defense
Dusty May’s first season at Michigan was characterized by winning close games, a pair of twin towers up front, a lack of consistent 3-point shooting and an underrated, yet highly efficient defense.
It should be more of the same, but at a slightly higher level in 2025-26.
The Wolverines boast one of the nation’s top transfer classes, highlighted by UAB big man Yaxel Lendeborg, Illinois big Morez Johnson, UNC point guard Eliot Cadeau and UCLA center Aday Mara. When you combine those four — the top transfer class, per EvanMiya.com — plus returning starters Roddy Gayle, Nimari Burnett, reserve LJ Cason and incoming freshman Trey McKinney, it’s a potent group.
Potent enough to be a preseason Top 10 team and perhaps the Big Ten’s best team. I mean, just listen to Rob Dauster and Mike LaTulip (justifiably) fawn over the roster.
It’s the defense and rebounding that’ll set this squad apart. Michigan’s size will overwhelm most teams (Lendeborg, Johnson and Mara are all 6-9 or taller), ensuring that most concerns about 3-point shooting should go away because it’ll grab pretty much every available offensive rebound.
Then there’s the defense.
Given how Michigan managed to go 13-4 in games decided by four points or fewer, which might’ve overshadowed just how impressive its defense was last season. And that was with Danny Wolf guarding opposing wings or forwards. This season, the Wolverines are bigger with better overall defenders.
As Isaac Trotter noted, opponents won’t find any easy shots:
Eleven of the best 13 defenses last year leaned heavily on a double-big lineup. With Lendeborg, high-flying Morez Johnson and 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara in the fold, Michigan should have good-to-great rim protection for all 40 minutes. A double-big lineup will be on the floor a ton for Dusty May. It's going to be hard to generate layups against Michigan, and that alone immediately raises the floor considerably. You're forcing teams to take a ton of jumpers, and it allows point-of-attack defenders to be even more aggressive. Michigan should have two big guards on the floor at all times with some combination of Roddy Gayle, Nimari Burnett or Trey McKenney to go along with a supersized frontcourt that should be much-improved on the glass. No second-chance opportunities and nothing allowed at the rim should make this defense stout.
An early computer projection from Torvik has Michigan No. 3. They shouldn’t be far behind on KenPom and EvanMiya. AP voters will almost surely have them no lower than 10th.
There’s NBA talent, experience and defense, not to mention a coach who made the jump from the AAC to the Big Ten. That all seems like a formula capable of winning the Big Ten and potentially making the program’s first Final Four since 2018.
2. Texas Tech lands dynamic guard + more commitments
Texas Tech spent the spring and summer cementing its roster as one of the Big 12’s best. Saturday might have provided the finishing touches.
