Notebook: Lendeborg close to ‘100%’, Cason back as Michigan looks to improve defense vs. Wake Forest

On Monday, ahead of Michigan’s second game of the season, a non-conference matchup against Wake Forest at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, head coach Dusty May spoke to the media.

Other than previewing Tuesday’s game, May shared updates on injuries, how and where the Wolverines can improve on defense and an outlook on Michigan’s shooting.

Getting back to full health

The player to watch Tuesday will be Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan’s best player, who can stuff box scores on an off night and take control of games on a good one. Against Oakland last week, Lendeborg’s right hand was wrapped up, and he came off the bench, making four of his five field goal attempts in a limited 21 minutes. May expects he’ll be good to go against the Demon Deacons.

“Yax should be close to 100%,” May said.

Sophomore guard LJ Cason, who stayed on the bench against the Golden Grizzlies with a shoulder injury, is also expected to play Tuesday.

“LJ, the last two days of practice, looks like he did before his injuries,” May said. “He had a couple of back-to-back injuries, which is tough, so I’m excited to see LJ play. He looked, I guess, more in rhythm the last two days, his conditioning has gotten back to where it was pre-injury.

“When these guys go out with an arm injury or shoulder injury, they’re staying on the bike, and our strength coach Matt (Aldred) does a great job with that, but there’s nothing comparable to basketball shape. And so he looks like he’s back in basketball shape and playing good ball.”

May prefaced his preferences for Cason’s role by emphasizing his desire for Michigan to play positionless basketball, but Cason can initiate the offense and share the ball when the Wolverines need him to.

The third Michigan player working through injury, and the only one who actually appeared on the Wolverines’ injury report pregame, is freshman guard Winters Grady. After sustaining a foot injury, Grady is back on the practice court.

“Winters Grady is back practicing now,” May said. “Winters loves ball so much that he was injured, and he kept re-injuring his foot in a minor way. And basically, our medical staff just held him and said, ‘You’re not going to be able to play well, move well, as long as you’re going at 50, 60, 70% or whatever the case. So he sat out longer than he wanted to. I think it probably drove him crazy, because he loves ball so much.”