With Michigan attempting to win its ninth straight Big Ten Tournament game, the Wolverines are set to face Iowa for the second time this season.
Earlier in the year, Iowa defeated Michigan 74-59, but the Hawkeyes have struggled in recent weeks before defeating Illinois 83-62 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament Thursday night. Before that victory, Iowa had lost four straight games and five of six games with the only victory coming in overtime against Indiana.
Iowa is prepared to face Michigan again Friday night with the tip coming around 9:30 p.m.
“It’s an opportunity for us to play one of the best teams in the country in the Big Ten Tournament,” Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said. “We know they’re going to defend. We know they’re going to run that offense to perfection, and it’s going to take a very good effort to beat them. We’ve just got to get back and prepare.”
Michigan’s elite defense will be tested going up against Iowa’s explosive offense. The Hawkeyes have the 15th best offense, according to Kenpom. Where Iowa is at its best is getting to the free throw line as its free throw attempts to field goal attempts ratio of 43.3 is fifth best in college basketball. Michigan will have to avoid getting into foul trouble against the Hawkeyes because they get 23.4 percent of their points at the line, which is the seventh-most in the nation.
While Iowa has a good offense, its shooting numbers don’t jump off the page. The Hawkeyes are shooting 36.3 percent from three and 51.4 percent from two, which is 84th and 104th in the country.
Iowa’s defense has struggled this season and has an adjusted efficiency of 101.5, which is 122nd in the country. Where the Hawkeyes struggle most defensively is defending twos. Opponents are shooting 53.0 percent from two, which is 285th in the country. Teams also have an offensive rebounding percentage of 29.2, which is 225th worst in the country.
The Hawkeyes are led by junior forward Tyler Cook who is Iowa’s leading scorer at 15.0 points per game while adding 8.1 rebounds. One of Cook’s attributes is his ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. His free throw rate of 63.3 is the 46th best in the country.
Iowa is also anchored in the frontcourt by sophomore forward Luka Garza who is averaging 13.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He is efficient from two-point range where he is shooting 60.3 percent, which is 176th in the nation. He is a skilled rebounder with an offensive rebounding percentage of 9.4.
“We are going to look at the film and just come out with the same mindset and they’re going to come after us and were going to come after them,” Garza said. “It’s going to be a battle.”
Freshman guard Joe Wieskamp is Iowa’s best shooter with an true-shooting percentage of 63.3, which is 69th best in the country. He is shooting 43.1 percent from deep, which is the 87th best mark in the country. As Iowa’s best sniper, he is fourth on the team averaging 11.0 points per game.
Junior point guard Jordan Bohannon is averaging 11.8 points per game, while dishing out 3.4 assists per game.
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @BSB_Wolverine, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @Balas_Wolverine, @DrewCHallett and @Qb9Adam.
• Like us on Facebook
