Michigan’s Mara makes March Madness history as Wolverines reach Final Four

Aday Mara has smashed through the American ceiling in his third year of college basketball. The 20‑year‑old, 7‑foot‑2 Spanish center on Sunday became the first Spaniard ever to reach the Final Four of the men’s March Madness tournament. Counting the women’s game, he’s the third Spaniard overall to do it, following Maite Cazorla (Oregon, 2019) and Helena Pueyo (Arizona, 2021).

And Mara did it after Michigan demolished a completely unrecognizable Tennessee team: a +33 beatdown (95-62). The Wolverines’ opponent in the semifinals - the program’s first trip there since 2018 - will be Arizona next Saturday, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Mara’s landmark block

Foul trouble plagued Mara all afternoon. He logged only 17 minutes after picking up four fouls. Even so, he put up 11 points (including a dunk) and grabbed four rebounds. With his two blocks, he reached a milestone: 100 on the season. No one in Michigan history had ever hit the century mark in a single year. Remarkable.

How the Wolverines devoured Tennessee

It was a stress‑free win for the Wolverines, who blew the game open thanks to a 21-0 run over five minutes, flipping a 14-16 deficit into a 35-16 cushion. Yaxel Lendeborg was the catalyst during that stretch with eight points and two assists. He finished with an outstanding 27 points (three‑for‑nine from deep). Michigan shredded Tennessee from the perimeter during that run with threes from Lendeborg, Roddy Gayle, and Elliot Cadeau - who controlled the game beautifully and dished out nine assists.

At halftime, Michigan held a nearly insurmountable +22 lead (48-26). There was still theoretical room for a scare, but the Wolverines slammed that door shut right after the break. A Mara three‑pointer pushed the margin to 55-28, and a Lendeborg free throw broke the 30‑point barrier (64-34). A historic victory for the young Spaniard.

Related stories

March Madness

March Madness: The Final Four is set

March Madness

Four No. 1 seeds still alive - Can the Women’s March Madness tournament make history?

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.