While No. 7 Michigan certainly is happy with a 3-0 record and its lofty ranking, there is an issue from last season that is plaguing the team in 2025-26.
Turnovers were a concern last year, and Michigan has committed 39 in its last two games. The Wolverines will look to limit those miscues on Wednesday night when they face Middle Tennessee (3-0) in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Michigan gave up the ball 22 times in a 67-63 win on Friday at TCU.
While pleased with the win, Wolverines coach Dusty May is keenly aware of the turnover problem.
“We’ve got to do a better job,” he said on the Defend The Block Podcast. “Obviously extremely disappointed in that side of the game, especially when you are getting four in the first four minutes of games. It just sets a terrible precedent. We’ve got to adjust to how physical these games are going to be played. We’ve got to work harder for catches, and we’ve got to stay stronger with the ball.”
Michigan’s frontcourt, consisting of high-profile transfers, has lived up to its billing this season.
The trio of Morez Johnson, Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg is a big reason why the Wolverines are undefeated despite having turnover issues. The 6-foot-9 Johnson, who came over from Illinois, leads the team in scoring at an average of 14.7 points per game to go with 7.7 rebounds.
Mara, a 7-foot-3 transfer from UCLA, is averaging 12.0 points and leads the team in rebounds (10.3) and blocks (3.7).
Lendeborg is a 6-9 transfer from UAB who pulled his name out of this past summer’s NBA draft after participating in the draft combine. He is averaging 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds while handling the ball and guarding opposing team’s perimeter players.
All three figure to get the attention of NBA scouts all season, and they definitely will be the focal point of the game plan for Middle Tennessee.
The Blue Raiders, who most recently earned a 77-72 triumph last Wednesday vs. Evansville, are doing a good job of building off a 22-win campaign last season. That season ended in a loss in the NIT to eventual tournament champion Chattanooga.
Middle Tennessee is led by senior guard Kamari Lands, a returning player from last season who is averaging 17.7 points per game. Lands leads a balanced offensive attack that has five players averaging at least 10 points per game and eight contributing at least 7.0 ppg.
Penn State transfer Jahvin Carter has led the newcomers who came into the program, averaging 14.7 ppg. Other players averaging in double figures are Western Illinois transfer Sean Smith (12.0), Savon Wykle (10.0) and Chris Loofe (10.0).
“Our thing here is unselfishness,” Lands said. “It can be anybody’s night with how many guys we got who can score. It’s hard for teams to focus on one guy when we have nine guys who can do it.”
–Field Level Media
