WTKA Roundtable 11/13/2025: Disturbing is Over the Top

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Nov 13, 2025

The discussion kicks off with a hilarious story about a driver's license that sparks a comparison to Tarik Skubal's roster dilemma. Adai Mara's defensive skills take center stage, showcasing his ability to deter opponents effectively. The hosts delve into Michigan's turnover issues and the challenges of a three-big lineup, questioning its viability. They emphasize the need for better perimeter shooting and the role of veterans like Roddy Gale. The episode wraps with a preview of the upcoming Northwestern football game and insights into conference politics.

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INSIGHT

Mara Transforms Rim Defense

Aday Mara instantly alters Michigan's defense, making rim attempts nearly impossible when he's on the floor.
His presence alone flips opponent rim success dramatically and raises Michigan's defensive ceiling.

INSIGHT

Turnovers Mask Defensive Potential

Michigan's turnover rate (15%) remains a severe issue and limits defensive aggressiveness.
The team has the personnel to be more aggressive but currently plays too passively on defense.

INSIGHT

Three-Big Lineup Creates Role Misfits

Playing three bigs exposed rebounding and spacing problems because personnel aren't natural at wing/boxing roles.
The lineup forces miscast roles and creates offensive spacing issues for perimeter shooting.

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Things Discussed:

HOOPS

Craig and the Half a Head story vis a vis Tarik Skubal.
Aday Mara holy crap. He was last year's on-off numbers while playing 37/45 minutes. When he was on the floor Wake Forest was 27% at the rim.
M needs to figure out the rest. Loosening balls but not converting them to turnovers. Have three bigs on the floor and none know how to box out because they were the rebounding alphas.
Three Bigs? Don't think it's going to work because Morez Johnson taking a three in the flow of the offense isn't going to work. The point of Yaxel is to make him a four, so you're effectively using Johnson at small forward. Maybe if you also make Mara a Wolf-level assist guy?
They won a game when they shot 16% from three; if they can be 33% from three and have Mara's defense it's over.
Don't overreact to Lendeborg's start: injured hand and Wake was a weird team that didn't have big tradeoffs from switching only 6'7" guy on Lendeborg to another.
Loose balls: not boxing out when they're not boxing out, the way they play is everyone can be aggressive on their man and you have a behemoth, so nobody's facing the ball when he knocks it loose. Defense needs to be more aggressive: You saw Gayle got it; he overplayed on the perimeter and got some turnovers because if they cut behind you you're still covered.
Wake's first shots sucked.
LJ's thing is he goes in the lane, but this team doesn't have a lot of perimeter shooting.
Tschetter's defense doesn't match well with this team, but he can get you threes. Was hoping he could be on the court with Johnson and Mara but he can't unless Morez can take threes.
Trey McKenney was a revelation on defense. He knows where to be, has that length.
Can they run offense without Cadeau on the court? Cadeau also needs to be more careful with the ball—deserved six turnovers.

FOOTBALL

Northwestern Preview: Low-scoring game. They're good on defense, they're interception-prone, they're best at putting two TEs on the field and running OZ and Duo; Michigan might be able to play two-DTs. When they do well they get movement on the front.
Caleb Tiernan: Always loved Northwestern.
If we're in a match of who can out-1950s the other give me Michigan's OL and Jordan Marshall.
If M gets an explosive they can look for it in the RPO game: NWern can't go to their 3rd safety and their SS is a 6'4"/220 hybrid guy. Maybe get him against Marsh?
Barham at edge or linebacker? I vote linebacker, because that makes them tell you how they're going to set up.

TONY PETTITI IS GOING TO END THE BIG TEN

Trying to pass their their "pay-day loan" (thank you Regent Bernstein) over the objections of Michigan and USC is the way they get Michigan to leave when the Grant of Rights expires. When all of these are mid-majors in 20 years remember this moment, and the idiots trying to solve today's problems with a cash infusion that future fans will have to pay for.