Three takeaways from Michigan basketball’s 30-point victory over USC

The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines basketball team picked up its 13th win of the season on Friday evening, taking down No. 24 USC 96-66 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Despite not playing their best basketball, the Wolverines felt in control of the game from start to finish. A big reason was the UofM defense holding the Trojans 23 points under their scoring average for the season (89).

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Two Starters Go Down

Two key Wolverines went down with injuries in the game, Yaxel Lendeborg and Nimari Burnett.

Lendeborg hurt his calf in the opening half and tried to play through it. However, a couple of minutes into the second half, it was evident he wasn’t healthy enough to play and sat out the remainder of the game. It was reported on the broadcast that it was diagnosed as a bruised calf.

For Burnett, he got hit in the head in the second half and did not return to the game.

The good news is, the Wolverines seemingly didn’t miss a beat without the pair of starters.

Slow Start Offensively… Until Morez and Elliot Took Over

It was a slow start for the Wolverines' offense. Early in the game, the defense was carrying UofM, not allowing a basket for more than six minutes to open the contest. However, the Wolverines were struggling to find the bottom of the basket.

Lendeborg was looking to score early and often, but was struggling. Then came the duo of Morez Johnson Jr and Elliot Cadeau to ignite the Wolverines.

Elliot and Morez — Jan 2, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) passes to forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Johnson Jr. finished the half with a game-best 17 points, while Cadeau was nearly on pace for a triple-double with six points, five assists and four rebounds.

Late in the half, Johnson Jr. went on a 6-0 run by himself to give the Wolverines a 17-point advantage. Fittingly, the final point of that rally came on a play where he stole the ball on the other end of the court, got the ball to Cadeau, who then lobbed it back to him for the alley-oop slam. That play forced the Trojans to take a timeout and sent the Crisler Center into a frenzy.

Despite Michigan feeling like it had a slow start to the game, they still posted 49 first-half points and held an 18-point advantage heading into the break. They only shot 14 percent from deep in the opening half.

Johnson Jr. finished the game with a career-high 28 points.

Mara is a Unicorn

Aday Mara’s impact cannot be overstated. It is always getting talked about how his size impacts opposing teams trying to score in the paint. But it even goes beyond that.

For starters, he had an offensive rebound, a putback layup and two steals in the opening 53 seconds.

In another moment, he guarded the ball on an inbound, and the USC player could not see past him and was not able to get the ball in because of Mara’s size. These are things he is constantly doing that don’t show up in the box score.

His passing ability also jumps off the screen for his size. In the first half, he grabbed a rebound and heaved a full-court pass on the money. He didn’t get an assist because the layup wasn’t made. In the second half, he caught the ball on a fast break and immediately lobbed it to Roddy Gayle Jr. for an alley-oop dunk.

Aday Mara QB1 pic.twitter.com/xwQFQjLSEh
— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) January 3, 2026

He is probably the most impactful player, which doesn’t mean he is the best; he is such a unique talent that he creates issues for opposing teams.

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