Michigan scouting report vs ‘mirror image’ Arizona in Final Four

Free Press sports writer Ryan Ford previews the Final Four matchup between Michigan basketball and Arizona, set for Saturday, April 4, in Indianapolis.

Fast facts

• Matchup: Midwest 1-seed Michigan (35-3) vs. West 1-seed Arizona (36-2); NCAA Tournament national semifinal.

• Tipoff: 8:49 p.m., Saturday, April 4; Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis.

• At stake: Winner faces Saturday’s winner between 3-seed Illinois or 2-seed UConn for the national title on Monday, April 6, in Indy.

MITCH ALBOM: Mitch Albom: Aday Mara on the cusp of one big moment for Michigan basketball

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Michigan basketball: Meet the Wolverines

• Coach: Dusty May (62-13 in two seasons at U-M; 188-82 overall in eight seasons).

• School tournament record: 72-31 in 33 appearances, nine Final Fours, one championship (1989).

• Scoring leaders: Yaxel Lendeborg, 15.2 points per game; Morez Johnson Jr., 13.2; Aday Mara, 11.8.

• Rebounding leaders: Johnson, 7.3 rebounds per game; Lendeborg, 7; Mara, 6.8.

• Assist leaders: Elliot Cadeau, 5.8 assists per game; Lendeborg, 3.3; Mara, 2.4.

• 3-point leaders: Trey McKinney, 38.4%; Nimari Burnett, 38.1%; Cadeau, 37.7%; Lendeborg, 37.2%.

The buzz: In case there were any doubters as to why Lendeborg was Big Ten player of the year, the Wolverines star has quieted them with a dominant NCAA Tournament performance: 21 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assist, plus 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks in 32.3 minutes per game, all while shooting 59.2% from the field, including 50% beyond the arc on 5.5 3-point attempts per game. Really, the only question will be how the Wolverines will motivate him against the Wildcats, since the don’t appear to have snubbed him in transfer-portal recruiting.

Along with Lendeborg, the Wolverines will need Mara at his best. After dominating during the tourney’s first weekend against Howard and Saint Louis, the junior big was inconsistent in U-M’s two wins in Chicago. Against Alabama, Mara had just eight points in 27 minutes, with his role minimized due to the Crimson Tide’s inside-out offense on the perimeter. Against a more physical Tennessee squad, Mara did more – 11 points, four rebounds, two blocks and a steal – but he was hampered by foul trouble early. Arizona features 7-footer Motiejus Krivas to challenge Mara, and the Wildcats are third in the nation in free throw attempts, meaning Mara will have to be on his best behavior.

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Arizona basketball: Meet the Wildcats

• Location: Tucson, Arizona.

• Coach: Tommy Lloyd (148-35 in five seasons at Arizona).

• School tournament record: 66-38 in 40 appearances, five Final Fours, 1 championship (1997).

• Scoring leaders: Brayden Burries, 16.1 points per game; Koa Peat, 14.1; Jaden Bradley, 13.3.

• Rebounding leaders: Tobe Awaka, 9.1 per game; Motiejus Krivas, 8.2; Peat, 5.5.

• Assist leaders: Bradley, 4.4 per game; Peat, 2.7; Burries, 2.5.

• 3-point leaders: Awaka, 45.5%; Dwayne Aristode, 45.3%; Burries, 40.2%.

The buzz: U-M coach Dusty May called the Wildcats ‘mirror images’ of his Wolverines, and the numbers bear that out – Arizona averages 44.6 2-point attempts per game, No. 2 in the nation, while pulling down 12.8 offensive rebounds (No. 34) and 29.8 defensive boards (No. 2). The Wildcats also are holding their foes to just a 44.1% shooting percentage on 2s, No. 2 nationally; the Wolverines hold foes to 44.3% inside the arc, good for No. 4.

Doing the bulk of that work are bigs Krivas (7 feet 2, 260 pounds) and Awaka (6-8, 250), who are averaging more than 17 boards a game combined. The good news for the Wolverines is that while Awaka is shooting 45.5% beyond the arc – raising the specter of more issues against a stretch-four, a la U-M’s loss to Wisconsin back in January – the New York native has attempted just 11 3s this season.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan scouting report vs ‘mirror image’ Arizona in Final Four