Tip Time: Michigan vs. Iowa
The Hawkeyes and the Wolverines meet on Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye.
Tom Kakert • HawkeyeReport.com
@hawkeyereport
MICHIGAN (11-3, 1-1) at IOWA (9-6, 0-2)
TIME: 6:05 p.m.
TV: ESPN2 – Jason Benetti and Tom Crean on the call.
SERIES: The Wolverines hold a 91-63 edge in the overall series against the Hawkeyes. While Michigan has won 11 of the last 18, Iowa has won the last five meetings between the two schools. Iowa holds a 38-36 edge in games played in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes have won the last four meetings in Iowa City, including last year, when Iowa defeated Michigan, 86-83, in overtime.
The Line: Michigan is a 2 point favorite.
The Numbers
OFFENSE: MICHIGAN – 76.9 PPG, 48.5 % FG, 36.6 % 3-PT FG. IOWA – 82.1 PPG, 48.5 % FG, 37.4 % 3 PT FG.
DEFENSE: MICHIGAN – 60.7 PPG, 41.9 % FG, 33.9 % 3 PT FG. IOWA – 72.8 PPG, 41.9 % FG, 32.7 % 3 PT FG.
THE LINEUPS
MICHIGAN
Charles Matthews – 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds
Muhammad Ali Abdur- Rahkman – 9.9 points, 4.5 rebounds
Eli Brooks – 3.7 points, 1.6 rebounds
Duncan Robinson – 10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds
Moritz Wagner -15.6 points, 7.6 rebounds
IOWA
Jordan Bohannon – 11.6 points, 4.8 assists
Isaiah Moss – 12.0 points, 2.2 rebounds
Jack Nunge – 8.3 points, 3.5 rebounds
Nicholas Baer – 5.2 points, 5.7 rebounds
Tyler Cook – 13.9 points, 6.6 rebounds
PLAYER TO WATCH – Charles Matthews – The Chicago native sat out last season after transferring to Michigan from Kentucky. While he wasn’t a fit with the Wildcats, he has certainly shown this year that he’s a very good player for the Wolverines. Matthews is some ways has become their point guard, handling a good chunk of the ball handling duties. Matthews is shooting 56% from the field this year and can get to the rim via the drive or stop and pop from just about anywhere on the floor. Best guess is Nicholas Baer will draw the defensive assignment to begin the game.
KEY MATCHUP – Tyler Cook vs. Mo Wagner – Two of the better big men in the Big Ten will go head to head on Tuesday night when Michigan and Iowa tangle. Wagner toyed with a jump to the NBA last year after the season, but decided to stay in Ann Arbor for his junior year. He’s not the classic Euro big man because he likes to play more physical and doesn’t mind mixing it up. Having said that, he can step out and knock down jump shots. Cook has been playing really well for Iowa. He showed his expanded game last week against Northern Illinois, knocking down three jump shots. This could be a fun match-up in the post between two very physical players.
STATS AND NOTES
The Hawkeyes opened Big Ten play in early December, losing to Penn State and at Indiana.
80 points appears to be a magic number for the Hawkeyes this season. Iowa is 9-0 when they reach 80 points this year. They are 0-6 when they don’t reach that number.
Nicholas Baer, the Big Ten’s 6th Man of the Year last season. Baer is averaging 5.2 points and 5,7 rebounds this season. Bear has a sensational game against Drake, scoring 11 points, pulled down 14 rebounds, and had 5 assists and 5 steals. He also had 11 rebounds recently against Southern Utah. Last season, Baer led the Hawkeyes in rebounds (197) and steals (48). He was the only player in college basketball and the only one in the Big Ten in the past 25 years to score over 250 points, block 40 shots, have 45 steals, and make at least 45 three point field goals.
After playing in four games, Connor McCaffery may be headed to a redshirt season in his freshman year. This week he has his tonsils removed and will now be out for an undetermined period of time. McCaffery was averaging 2 points and 2 assists per game in those four games.
Ahmad Wagner returned to action against Northern Illinois, after missing the contest against Colorado due to a sprained ankle.
Jordan Bohannon was named to the 2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award watch list. There are 20 players around the country on the initial watch list for the award. Last season, Bohannon became only the second freshman in the last 25 years to have over 175 assists and make more than 85 three point field goals.
Bohannon and Tyler Cook were named to the Big Ten’s All Freshman team last season.
Fran McCaffery is the first Iowa coach to post at least 18 wins in six straight seasons and finished in the top half of the Big Ten in each of the last five years. McCaffery’s 146 wins in his first seven season is second in Iowa history behind Tom Davis. McCaffery has 397 career wins and is closing in on 400 career victories.
The freshman duo of Luka Garza and Jack Nunge averaged double figures in Iowa’s two exhibition games. Their scoring pace has continued in the regular season. Garza leads Iowa in scoring at 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and was named Big Ten Freshman of the week in the first week of the season. Nunge is averaging 8.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Iowa is 0-2 this year in games played on the ESPN2 and 12-15 during Fran McCafffery’s tenure. Iowa is 1-2 this year in games played on a Tuesday. The Hawkeyes are 21-16 under McCaffery in games played on a Tuesday.
THE PICK
It’s hard to say any game is a must win for a team in early January, but given Iowa’s start to the season and in Big Ten play, this is must win territory for Iowa if they want to entertain the idea of making it to the NCAA Tournament this season.
The good news for Iowa is that this is a winnable game. Michigan is a solid team, but they don’t have a lot of depth and no consistent scoring punch off the bench. This is a really kind of a classic John Beilein team. They shoot it pretty well, have multiple three point shooters on the floor at all times, and they don’t beat themselves. Michigan averages under ten turnovers a game.
What they don’t do is rebound the ball exceptionally well and surprisingly, they don’t shoot very well from the foul line, making just 62.5% from the charity stripe.
Matthews and Wagner are the Wolverines two best players and are capable of a big night. Abdur-Rahkman is one of the more underrated players in the Big Ten and Robinson is one of the top three point shooters. Michigan really lacks a true point guard this year. Zavier Simpson was expected to take that role, but he’s not playing as much as expected this year. Perhaps that’s a good thing for Iowa because they have struggled against higher level point guards this season.
What are the keys for Iowa?
Let’s start with taking care of the ball. We know Michigan will not beat themselves, so it’s going to be important for Iowa to not turn the ball over on Tuesday night. The goal should be to keep the turnover number around 12 for the game.
Iowa also needs to get Garza going early. When Iowa has won this season, he’s averaging over 15 points per game. In Iowa’s losses this year, he averages 3.9 points per game. Garza seems to be gaining confidence in the last couple of weeks and the Hawkeyes seem to get a spark when he plays well and impacts the game.
Iowa and Michigan have gone to overtime in four of the last seven meetings. It’s probably a good bet that this one will be close as well with the potential for extra time. Both teams have won five straight, so someone will have their win streak snapped. Expect a tight game and I think Iowa’s ready to get over the hump. IOWA 75 MICHIGAN 72.
The Hawkeyes and the Wolverines meet on Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye.
Tom Kakert • HawkeyeReport.com
@hawkeyereport
MICHIGAN (11-3, 1-1) at IOWA (9-6, 0-2)
TIME: 6:05 p.m.
TV: ESPN2 – Jason Benetti and Tom Crean on the call.
SERIES: The Wolverines hold a 91-63 edge in the overall series against the Hawkeyes. While Michigan has won 11 of the last 18, Iowa has won the last five meetings between the two schools. Iowa holds a 38-36 edge in games played in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes have won the last four meetings in Iowa City, including last year, when Iowa defeated Michigan, 86-83, in overtime.
The Line: Michigan is a 2 point favorite.
The Numbers
OFFENSE: MICHIGAN – 76.9 PPG, 48.5 % FG, 36.6 % 3-PT FG. IOWA – 82.1 PPG, 48.5 % FG, 37.4 % 3 PT FG.
DEFENSE: MICHIGAN – 60.7 PPG, 41.9 % FG, 33.9 % 3 PT FG. IOWA – 72.8 PPG, 41.9 % FG, 32.7 % 3 PT FG.
THE LINEUPS
MICHIGAN
Charles Matthews – 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds
Muhammad Ali Abdur- Rahkman – 9.9 points, 4.5 rebounds
Eli Brooks – 3.7 points, 1.6 rebounds
Duncan Robinson – 10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds
Moritz Wagner -15.6 points, 7.6 rebounds
IOWA
Jordan Bohannon – 11.6 points, 4.8 assists
Isaiah Moss – 12.0 points, 2.2 rebounds
Jack Nunge – 8.3 points, 3.5 rebounds
Nicholas Baer – 5.2 points, 5.7 rebounds
Tyler Cook – 13.9 points, 6.6 rebounds
PLAYER TO WATCH – Charles Matthews – The Chicago native sat out last season after transferring to Michigan from Kentucky. While he wasn’t a fit with the Wildcats, he has certainly shown this year that he’s a very good player for the Wolverines. Matthews is some ways has become their point guard, handling a good chunk of the ball handling duties. Matthews is shooting 56% from the field this year and can get to the rim via the drive or stop and pop from just about anywhere on the floor. Best guess is Nicholas Baer will draw the defensive assignment to begin the game.
KEY MATCHUP – Tyler Cook vs. Mo Wagner – Two of the better big men in the Big Ten will go head to head on Tuesday night when Michigan and Iowa tangle. Wagner toyed with a jump to the NBA last year after the season, but decided to stay in Ann Arbor for his junior year. He’s not the classic Euro big man because he likes to play more physical and doesn’t mind mixing it up. Having said that, he can step out and knock down jump shots. Cook has been playing really well for Iowa. He showed his expanded game last week against Northern Illinois, knocking down three jump shots. This could be a fun match-up in the post between two very physical players.
STATS AND NOTES
The Hawkeyes opened Big Ten play in early December, losing to Penn State and at Indiana.
80 points appears to be a magic number for the Hawkeyes this season. Iowa is 9-0 when they reach 80 points this year. They are 0-6 when they don’t reach that number.
Nicholas Baer, the Big Ten’s 6th Man of the Year last season. Baer is averaging 5.2 points and 5,7 rebounds this season. Bear has a sensational game against Drake, scoring 11 points, pulled down 14 rebounds, and had 5 assists and 5 steals. He also had 11 rebounds recently against Southern Utah. Last season, Baer led the Hawkeyes in rebounds (197) and steals (48). He was the only player in college basketball and the only one in the Big Ten in the past 25 years to score over 250 points, block 40 shots, have 45 steals, and make at least 45 three point field goals.
After playing in four games, Connor McCaffery may be headed to a redshirt season in his freshman year. This week he has his tonsils removed and will now be out for an undetermined period of time. McCaffery was averaging 2 points and 2 assists per game in those four games.
Ahmad Wagner returned to action against Northern Illinois, after missing the contest against Colorado due to a sprained ankle.
Jordan Bohannon was named to the 2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award watch list. There are 20 players around the country on the initial watch list for the award. Last season, Bohannon became only the second freshman in the last 25 years to have over 175 assists and make more than 85 three point field goals.
Bohannon and Tyler Cook were named to the Big Ten’s All Freshman team last season.
Fran McCaffery is the first Iowa coach to post at least 18 wins in six straight seasons and finished in the top half of the Big Ten in each of the last five years. McCaffery’s 146 wins in his first seven season is second in Iowa history behind Tom Davis. McCaffery has 397 career wins and is closing in on 400 career victories.
The freshman duo of Luka Garza and Jack Nunge averaged double figures in Iowa’s two exhibition games. Their scoring pace has continued in the regular season. Garza leads Iowa in scoring at 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and was named Big Ten Freshman of the week in the first week of the season. Nunge is averaging 8.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Iowa is 0-2 this year in games played on the ESPN2 and 12-15 during Fran McCafffery’s tenure. Iowa is 1-2 this year in games played on a Tuesday. The Hawkeyes are 21-16 under McCaffery in games played on a Tuesday.
THE PICK
It’s hard to say any game is a must win for a team in early January, but given Iowa’s start to the season and in Big Ten play, this is must win territory for Iowa if they want to entertain the idea of making it to the NCAA Tournament this season.
The good news for Iowa is that this is a winnable game. Michigan is a solid team, but they don’t have a lot of depth and no consistent scoring punch off the bench. This is a really kind of a classic John Beilein team. They shoot it pretty well, have multiple three point shooters on the floor at all times, and they don’t beat themselves. Michigan averages under ten turnovers a game.
What they don’t do is rebound the ball exceptionally well and surprisingly, they don’t shoot very well from the foul line, making just 62.5% from the charity stripe.
Matthews and Wagner are the Wolverines two best players and are capable of a big night. Abdur-Rahkman is one of the more underrated players in the Big Ten and Robinson is one of the top three point shooters. Michigan really lacks a true point guard this year. Zavier Simpson was expected to take that role, but he’s not playing as much as expected this year. Perhaps that’s a good thing for Iowa because they have struggled against higher level point guards this season.
What are the keys for Iowa?
Let’s start with taking care of the ball. We know Michigan will not beat themselves, so it’s going to be important for Iowa to not turn the ball over on Tuesday night. The goal should be to keep the turnover number around 12 for the game.
Iowa also needs to get Garza going early. When Iowa has won this season, he’s averaging over 15 points per game. In Iowa’s losses this year, he averages 3.9 points per game. Garza seems to be gaining confidence in the last couple of weeks and the Hawkeyes seem to get a spark when he plays well and impacts the game.
Iowa and Michigan have gone to overtime in four of the last seven meetings. It’s probably a good bet that this one will be close as well with the potential for extra time. Both teams have won five straight, so someone will have their win streak snapped. Expect a tight game and I think Iowa’s ready to get over the hump. IOWA 75 MICHIGAN 72.
