No. 3 Michigan at Iowa College Basketball Preview

For a while, it looked like the trip to Iowa City would be a potential pitfall for the Michigan Wolverines on their quest for a Big Ten championship. Instead, Dusty May and crew locked up that outright title before the calendar even hit March, and now the final two games of the regular season — as well as the conference tournament — are really just for positioning across the 1-seed line.

The other reason Thursday’s contest is much less daunting than before is the recent slump of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Still likely in the Tournament field, and a top-25 team per Kenpom, Iowa has dropped four of its last six, including really bad stumbles against Maryland and Penn State. Year One under Ben McCollum still looks like a success, but the Hawkeyes are limping through the end of the season.

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No. 3 Michigan (27-2, 17-1) at Iowa (20-9, 10-8)

Date & Time: Thursday, Mar. 5, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, IA
TV/Streaming: Peacock

There are always some fun ones when these teams meet. The last four contests have gone two apiece, with the Wolverines squeaking out a win in December 2024 thanks to a Roddy Gayle (goaltended) layup in the final seconds at Crisler. The teams split the series the season prior, with Michigan recording a 10-point victory the last time these schools faced off at Carver-Hawkeye.

Two Stats to Watch

Iowa Avg Possession Length: 20 sec (18th B1G)

Is this football? The Iowa offense is average in terms of efficiency, but dead last in conference play when it comes to pace. This methodical approach does not lead to many assists or particularly efficient shooting, as point guard Bennett Stirtz is far and away first on the team in both usage and offensive rating, and the Drake transfer is averaging over 20 PPG.

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Stirtz is not Keaton Wagler, but after watching Yaxel Lendeborg’s defensive masterclass in Champaign, no opposing guard is going to feel great about facing this defense. The Wolverines are absolutely capable of locking in the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/no-3-michigan-iowa-college-130000602.html

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Publish date : 2026-03-05 13:00:00

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