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  • Behind Aday Mara’s 20 Points, No. 4 Michigan Handles Washington On The Road, 82-72

Behind Aday Mara’s 20 Points, No. 4 Michigan Handles Washington On The Road, 82-72

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Basketball

(BCSNN) - The fourth‑ranked Michigan men’s basketball team opened its West Coast swing with an impressive 82-72 road win over Washington on Wednesday night at Alaska Airlines Arena.

The Wolverines shot a blistering 60 percent from the field and never allowed the Huskies to get closer than five points in the second half.

Freshman center Aday Mara powered Michigan with 20 points on 10‑of‑11 shooting and added three blocks. Morez Johnson Jr. delivered his third double‑double of the season, finishing with 16 points, a perfect 4‑for‑4 at the line, and a career‑high 16 rebounds. Yaxel Lendeborg added 14 points, including two three‑pointers, and seven rebounds.

The trio combined for 50 of Michigan’s 82 points and 40 of the team’s 50 paint points, overwhelming Washington inside.

Michigan (15-1, 5-1 Big Ten) started slowly, opening 1‑for‑8 from the field before Mara broke through with a hook shot. The Wolverines’ defense steadied the early stretch, forcing seven straight scoreless Washington possessions and grabbing eight rebounds.

A 10‑0 run fueled by Roddy Gayle Jr. and Johnson pushed Michigan ahead 12-3. Trey McKenney and Will Tschetter knocked down back‑to‑back threes to extend the lead to 22-11, with the bench contributing 12 early points.

Johnson dominated the glass, reaching 10 rebounds with nearly six minutes left in the half, highlighted by a putback dunk. Lendeborg then erupted for seven points in 51 seconds, including a deep 27‑footer, helping Michigan take a 39-30 halftime lead.

Mara opened the second half the same way he opened the game — with a hook shot off an offensive rebound. Nimari Burnett crossed the 1,000‑career‑point milestone on a driving layup and added a three moments later, though Washington briefly cut the deficit to five.

Lendeborg’s corner three steadied Michigan, and Mara followed with three straight baskets, matching his first‑half scoring output in just five minutes. Michigan pushed the lead to 59-50 as both teams traded efficient possessions.

A Mara block and rebound with 5:16 remaining sparked a fast‑break finish from Gayle, restoring a double‑digit lead at 74-63. Lendeborg added a crafty layup during a 7‑0 run that stretched the margin to 13. Johnson’s late layup capped the scoring as Michigan closed out the 10‑point victory.

Michigan continues its West Coast trip Saturday (Jan. 17) at Oregon, with tipoff set for 1 p.m. on NBC.