Having been just a bit player in his 1½ college seasons, Aday Mara moved to the forefront Tuesday night.
In a massive way.
The 7-foot-3 center left a giant imprint all over what might have been UCLA’s most significant victory of the season.
Grabbing rebounds flatfooted, blocking shots and making every shot he took, Mara powered the Bruins to an 85-83 triumph over No. 18 Wisconsin at Pauley Pavilion, ending the Badgers’ seven-game winning streak.
Mara was a force well beyond his career-high 22 points on seven-for-seven shooting, his presence disrupting Wisconsin on both ends of the court while announcing that UCLA could match an opponent’s size as part of its transition to the more physical Big Ten
“Just, everything,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said of Mara’s impact. “He changed the entire game, no question about it.”
Mara added five rebounds — four offensive — and two blocks in a season-high 21 minutes made all the more critical by teammates Tyler Bilodeau and Kobe Johnson fouling out.
Mara would have snagged several more rebounds had the Badgers not contested him the only way they could, repeatedly hacking him and sending him to the foul line. Mara thrived there as well, making eight of 11 free throws.
“Feels really good,” Mara said in his first postgame comments as a Bruin.
Part of the Spanish native’s reluctance to speak with reporters was his unease with English. Most of it was that he never had been the team’s star, his modest production matching his limited minutes.
Last week Mara didn’t even play during the Bruins’ 24-point blowout of Iowa, disappointing a throng of Spanish fans who chanted “We want Mara!” Remaining on the bench, Mara just smiled and playfully threw up his arms.
After Mara fielded his third question Tuesday, teammate Sebastian Mack pulled a microphone toward his mouth, unprompted.
“I want to say one thing,” Mack said. “I’m not going to lie, Aday, I mean he’s been working nonstop, man. Even as a player, to see him do that is just great. And then for him to come out here and just be ready for us when we needed it most, just, it was perfect, because it shows that the next man’s up and you always gotta stay ready.”
Staying ready was a theme for the Bruins (13-6 overall, 4-4 Big Ten) on a night they gave up the most points in a regulation win during Cronin’s six seasons in Westwood.
Driving relentlessly toward the basket, Mack scored 15 of his 19 points over the final 10 minutes 5 seconds after having watched almost the rest of the second half from the bench.
Read more: Working while he waits for bigger role, UCLA’s 7-foot-3 Aday Mara is no sleeping giant
And even on a night when Mara was the story, it took another UCLA big man to finish the job.
Forward William Kyle III, having not played in the second half, entered for defensive purposes with Wisconsin (15-4, 5-3) down by two points with 30 seconds left. Cronin wanted Kyle in the game for his ability to switch on every ball screen. The move paid off when Kyle blocked John Blackwell’s jumper with nine seconds left.
“Made me look smart,” Cronin said.
UCLA’s Skyy Clark grabbed the ball and was fouled, making both free throws after the second bounced around the rim and fell through the net to put the Bruins up by four points.
Wisconsin guard John Tonje’s three-pointer with seven-tenths of a second left added drama but ultimately proved meaningless after Clark was fouled on the inbounds pass. Clark made another free throw before intentionally missing the second so that Wisconsin couldn’t get a final shot.
That was a smart move considering Tonje, who was held scoreless against USC last weekend, made six of seven three-pointers on the way to 24 points for a team that buried 15 of 30 shots from long range.
UCLA countered with some stellar play from its backcourt, Clark and point guard Dylan Andrews combining for 21 points, 11 assists and only one turnover.
But the tallest player on the court played so well that it almost seemed like a tall tale.
Only a few minutes into the second half, Mara pump-faked his defender out of the way for a dunk that had fans roaring. Having trailed by five points only a few minutes earlier, the Bruins surged into a three-point lead after Mara took an Andrews entry pass for a layup.
After Mara followed another dunk with a blocked shot, fans chanted his name. He later blocked Wisconsin 7-footer Steven Crowl’s three-pointer, causing a shot-clock violation.
Cronin said he sensed this kind of performance was coming based on Mara’s similar dominance in practice. The matchup with Wisconsin presented a good opportunity because the Badgers featured size but not unusual quickness. Officials also helped by calling fouls after Cronin said other teams “were allowed to just tackle him and play football.”
“See, if you have to guard him straight up legally, it’s really hard to stop him,” Cronin said, “but he hasn’t had a fair whistle much all year; tonight, he got one.”
Mara credited his work with Dave Andrews, the Bruins’ director of basketball performance, for the increased strength and stamina that fueled his breakthrough.
“I just try to show up in practice, try to play as hard as you can,” Mara said. “So when this opportunity came, I can be ready and do what I just did.”
As he headed toward the tunnel leading to the locker room after the game, Mara slapped hands with fans and clapped his hands over his head. The celebration would be short-lived.
After making his media debut, Mara said he was headed to the weight room for a post-practice workout with Andrews, preparing for his next chance to show what he can do.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
