WTKA Roundtable 3/5/2026: All Up in Our Spreadsheets

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Mar 5, 2026

Greg Ross, frequent WTKA roundtable contributor known for bracketology and sharp analysis, breaks down Michigan's defensive switching and matchup hunting. They discuss Yaxel's off-script switching, Cadeau's increased minutes, Mara's rim finishing, and Illinois' physical limitations. The conversation also covers turnover risks without Cadeau and the Big Ten POY debate.

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INSIGHT

Yax's Versatility Enabled Michigan's Switch Defense

Michigan's switching scheme and Yax's defensive versatility allowed them to neutralize Illinois' perimeter offense.
Greg Ross explained Dusty put Yax on Wagler and routinely switched, with Yax even choosing to stay on the guard at times.

INSIGHT

Illinois Profiled As Shootout Team With Limits

Illinois is long and skilled but lacks athleticism and physicality to handle elite teams in later tournament rounds.
Sam Webb argued teams that can impose physicality, like Michigan State, expose Illinois despite their shooting upside.

ANECDOTE

Mara Dominated In His Old Town

Hunter Mara delivered one of his best games back in his old town, using physicality to dominate inside.
Seth Fisher recalled Mara punking his former team and how physical play unlocked his rim scoring and competitive edge.

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Things Discussed:

Illinois game: Impressed that they not just shut down Wagler with Yax but they hunted Wagler defensively. They're not physical enough to play defense and not quick enough to guard point guards—Dent did it to them, Fears did it to them.
Why didn't Illinois shoot us out of their building if they're five out? Mara was everywhere on defense, Boswell was left to shoot.
When Boswell got downhill he gave Cadeau issues. That's something to watch out for because burlyguards on top of a five-out offense are able to score vs M.
Yax went off-script to switch on defense.
MSU the second-best team in the Big Ten; Illinois is going to get physicaled out of the Tournament.
Rez was lit, and that maybe lit up Mara. When Mara gets himself to the rim he's unstoppable.
What do you do when someone takes away what you want to be?
Cason: Problem with losing him is ^. He was our answer. Best finisher on the team, critical in transition. Like with Rez last year, the play that he got injured on was the play that shows you who he is.
Replacing Cason: Cadeau has to back off to play 30 minutes.
Minutes-wise Trey and Gayle. Usage-wise, Yaxel can do more in transition and hunting his own buckets, want to run more offense through Mara.
Gayle would be nice—he's been that before—but he hasn't been good this year. McKenney is not a creator at all at this point. If they play without Cadeau opponents are going to blitz the ball. When that's Mara...good luck.
Who's the Big Ten PoY: Two different questions: Who's the best player in the Big Ten this year? Yaxel or Wagler, and Yax's defense puts him over the top for me. Who's going to win it? Probably Braden Smith, even though he's < Stirtz and Boyd and Wagler and Yax, because the Big Ten is an old boy's network. The way Michigan can switch is because Yax can guard all of the guards.
Iowa: Concern is we're playing a mini-Nebraska on the road. Stirtz and the Drakes make me nervous because can play like Nebraska but with more depth. They'll go with their stretch five and play small. Globetrotter-esque: duck inside the perimeter to pass out to duck inside to pass out until they find a cutter.