UCLA's 7'3 sophomore center, Aday Mara, showed his potential and impact during limited minutes against Nebraska. Coach Mick Cronin acknowledges the need to play Mara more, especially with injuries to other big men. Mara's performance and the team's success when he and Tyler Bilodeau play together highlight the importance of increased minutes for Mara in the Bruins' upcoming games.
UCLA has an answer for one of its biggest problems taking up more space than anyone else on the bench. He stands 7 feet 3, wears size-18 shoes and has a wingspan rivaling that of some regional jets. His name is Aday Mara , and he’s probably going to have to play significantly more minutes for the Bruins to get where they want to go these next two months, let alone March.
During his 11 minutes against Nebraska on Saturday, the sophomore center made both of his shots, blocked two shots, snagged a steal and threw a perfect pass to Tyler Bilodeau for a dunk. Not shown in the box score were the shots that Mara altered or prevented from being taken, not to mention his supersized screens and the improved spacing for the offense whenever he was in the game. Mara played nearly all of the game’s final eight and a half minutes. It was no coincidence that during that stretch the No. 15 Bruins nearly wiped out a 12-point deficit before falling to the Cornhuskers, 66-58, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. UCLA coach Mick Cronin, who has acknowledged needing to play Mara more for at least a month, said the big man’s minutes were limited Saturday because of depth issues. Eric Dailey Jr. did not play because of an ongoing issue with a facial injury and William Kyle III was out after undergoing a recent undisclosed medical procedure. Those absences left Mara and Bilodeau as the team’s only remaining big men. The Bruins were at their best when both were on the court together, a lineup that Cronin said he would like to have used more. “It’s hard because you play them a lot together and they get tired at the same time, you’ve got nobody to put in,” Cronin said. “You’re playing Kobe at center, so Aday continues to improve. I’d love to play him a lot more and it’s coming.” It can’t come soon enough given Mara’s potential to transform his team’s trajectory. Here are five takeaways from UCLA’s first loss in Big Ten play: Playing Mara additional minutes might not be optional in the Bruins’ next game
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