ANN ARBOR, Mich. At the beginning of the week there were questions about how the basketball team no. 3 in Michigan against two top 10 opponents and two of the nation’s three best offenses in the country would hold out.
They answered a number of questions in a victory over Ohio State No. 4. By Thursday night, there were not many more questions.
While holding on to national team player of the year Luka Garza in one of his worst games in years, suffocating Iowa’s 3-point chances and coming alive from the offense in the second half, Michigan continued with a special season and pulled away from ninth-place Hawkeyes in a 79-57 victory.
The victory moves the Wolverines (12-1 Big Ten, 17-1 overall) to within two wins of a Big Ten title. If a few other games fell in Michigan’s favor, the Wolverines could clinch their first Big Ten regular season title since 2014.
Franz Wagner scored 13 of his 21 points in the second half, while Isaiah Livers and Hunter Dickinson added 16 and 14 points respectively. Luke Garza – who led the country with 24.7 points per game – scored 16 points and shot just 6-for-19 from the field. The Hawkeyes entered the country 13th in the night with 10.2 3s per game and fourth nationally with a 40.4 shooting percentage, but scored only 6 of 19 3s in the game, including 2 of 9 in the second half.
Although the game should be noted due to Michigan’s defensive effort, the Wolverines outscored Iowa 47-28 in the second half, making 19 of 35 shots after starting the game just 9 for 29 off the field.
From the start, the game filled with the intensity you would hope for during a top 10 game. Luka Garza and Hunter Dickinson took seconds to locate each other, both teams drove to the track instead of shooting 3s and even their benches were off the jump. Maybe it’s ironic for the offensive firepower of both teams, but the game was ugly. Iowa missed its first five shots, while the Wolverines missed six of their first eight. Five minutes later, the game was tied at seven.
While the points technically picked up, neither team seemed comfortable with their play on the attacking side in the end. Michigan struggled with shot selection, and was contradictory as he rode in a myriad of bench players to reduce foul problems. Even normal tasks, such as setbacks and avoiding press defense and violations of the game, were sometimes difficult for the Wolverines against a hungry Hawkeyes defense. Michigan opened the game with only 9-for-29 shooting, including a 2-for-9 point from the 3-point range.
Meanwhile, Iowa has stimulated both of its key methods of scoring points through the Wolverines defense. Luka Garza, who scored a combined 77 points against Michigan in two events last season, has been contested on almost every stroke. He put the Wolverines in trouble, but also struggled against the extra pressure. He finished the half with just seven points on 3-for-11 shooting. Iowa also clinched the country 13th place with 10.2 3-points per game, but was kept at four in the first half.
In the end, it was a close half that saw that neither team’s lead was far beyond Michigan’s 5-0 lead early on. The Wolverines ended the half, however, with a 5-for-6 shooting range, including a tip from Austin Davis at the buzzer to give Michigan a 32-29 lead.
After a grueling half for both teams, Michigan came to life in the second half. It started with Franz Wagner scoring nine points in the first half. But as Garza’s frustration escalated and the Wolverines’ shooting picked up – they made 19 of 35 shots in the second half and 5 of 9 3s – Michigan started to pull away.
Perhaps the biggest sign is that it was the Wolverines night, during a 12-3 series early in the second half. After Dickinson disappeared with his third offense by 17:30 in the game, Davis possibly played his best piece in a Michigan uniform. Although Garza had the lead in size, experience and skill, Davis kept his head at the defensive point and even achieved a different layout of his own. Meanwhile, Wagner’s hot series helped Michigan draw 36-36 when Davis led 48-39 when he clocked out.
From there, Michigan smelled blood. By pushing the pace and working the ball around, the Wolverines scored 1.30 points per possession, including 13 from Wagner and 10 from Livers. Every time Michigan seems to be calming down, another player will perform for the Wolverines.
It has become a common theme for the Wolverines this season, but against a top 10 opponent in a physical game, it was all the more an indication of what Michigan can accomplish this season.