Players Era: 3 Things to Watch for San Diego State vs Michigan

SDSU vs. Michigan in the Players Era Festival
When: Monday, November 24, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. PT
Watch: truTV
Odds: Michigan -5.5

Viva Las Vegas! The Aztecs are back in the desert where they have created quite the winning history for themselves. Wether it’s in the Mountain West Conference tournament, out of conference classics, or against UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center, SDSU has made most every arena they’ve played at their vacation home.

The Aztecs hope to make this year’s Players Era Festival a success for themselves once again. Not only does Coach Dutcher want to continue the Las Vegas magic for SDSU, but let’s be frank, they need the resume building wins this tournament can bring.

Beating Houston last year—the same Houston Cougar team that went all the way to the Natty—did the Aztecs wonders for their making the tournament last season.

So as San Diego State prepares to take on the Michigan Wolverines at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas on Monday, there are a few key factors that should be watched closely.

Michigan is their first opponent and they are not a one-dimensional squad — their strengths come from a mix of size, efficiency, and hustle. Understanding what they are up against will be vital for SDSU’s game plan.

Dominance in the Paint

Aday Mara and Malick Kordel both stand at 7’3″ and 7’2″ and are absolute towers down in the paint. You don’t face one big man that size most cases let alone two!

Together, they create matchup problems; but these two aren’t just big stone statues stuck to their zone down under the basket. These big boys can move. Their ability to stretch the floor and finish efficiently forces opponents to defend both in the paint and on the perimeter.

The first highlight below is a block by Mara, out at the 3-point line!

It is going to be crazy interesting to see how the Aztecs counter that size. I mean hey we have big boys ourselves. With Miles Heide, Pharaoh Compton, Magoon Gwath, yes they have their work cut out. But maybe we get to see Thokbor Majak get some run too. Majak is the only one with comparable size at 7’1″ to at least try and hold his own against Mara and Kordel.

The no brainer here is to try and get Mara in foul trouble. Compton and Heide must be extra active and run him around ragged. If they can neutralize his effectiveness a little bit, it will go a long ways towards letting the Aztecs talented wing players get their game going.

Boarding School in Ann Arbor

Michigan’s work on the boards — particularly on the offensive glass — is a major part of their identity. Head coach Dusty May has emphasized that if the Wolverines can’t rely on prolific three-point shooting, they can make up for it by being elite at crashing the boards.

This mindset pays off: with their size and athleticism, Michigan can generate second-chance scoring opportunities, which can be especially dangerous in a tightly contested game where every possession matters.

Morez Johnson Jr. has been a huge part here. He’s a 6’9″ beast down there mixing it up and leading the UM in scoring at 14pts per game and right there behind Aday in rebounding at 7 per game. SDSU must get a body on him, at all times.

Going back to Dusty May, he was the Florida Atlantic coach when the Aztecs faced his team in the Final Four. He is well aware of SDSU’s focus on rebounding and you better believe he wants this game bad.

For the Aztecs Miles Byrd, Magoon Gwath and Reese Dixon-Waters are going to have to get active in focusing on rebounding and helping their big man out. It’s all hands on deck to fight for these loose boards.

Back Court Balance

Thirdly, while the frontcourt grabs a lot of the headlines, Michigan’s backcourt does deserve respect for its balance and experience. Nimari Burnett, a veteran guard, can stretch the defense — he’s proven to be a threat from deep and a creative playmaker.

Alongside him is Roddy Gayle Jr., whose athleticism and scoring ability in transition help fuel Michigan’s fast-paced style. This guard tandem gives Michigan a way to counter teams that lean too much into size; they can run, create, and punish overextensions on defense.

For San Diego State to contend with Michigan, they’ll need a plan that respects Michigan’s two bigs in the paint, battles for offensive rebounds, and doesn’t leave Burnett and Gayle unguarded.

If SDSU can limit second-chance points and prevent those bigs from getting into rhythm early — while also staying disciplined against Michigan’s guard play — they will have their best shot at controlling the game.