Matchup . Michigan -8.5. 4:00 PM EST . Fox Sports 1. Saturday, December 7th . 7-1. 485. 7-1. 878
The Wolverines are coming off back-to-back wins against ranked teams as they return to the Crisler Center to take on Iowa for the Big Ten home opener on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes are 7-1 but have played a soft schedule. They opened Big Ten play with a win over Northwestern, on a buzzer beater in typical Iowa fashion.
Michigan basketball is ranked 16th right now according to the Kenpom rankings. Iowa is 50th. What stands out is the Wolverines’ 5th-ranked defense. That was on display Tuesday and as strong as this team has played offensively, defense has been the calling card.
The defense will get tested against Iowa though. Iowa averages 86.5 points per game (16th in college basketball) and 10.3 3-pointers per game (25th). They also shoot 37.4 percent from 3-point range and dish out 20.3 assists per game (3rd nationally).
Iowa isn’t known for defense but is turning teams over 16.9 times per game and does a good job of limiting offensive rebounds. The Hawkeyes also limit opponents to 28.2 percent from 3-point range (43rd) but have struggled with 2-point defense, allowing 54.7 percent (346th).
Michigan on the other hand, has been dominant defensively. Teams are scoring just .86 points per possession and shooting 36.6 percent from the field (9th). The 2-point defense has been solid too (41 percent, 10th) and Michigan holds 3-point shooters to 28.9 percent (46th).
The Wolverines are forcing 16.4 turnovers per game and blocking 5.5 shots per game (20th). Offensive rebounds continue to be an issue for Michigan basketball defensively, but the Wolverines are also in the top 100 in terms of field goal percentage, 2-point percentage, and 3-point percentage.
Michigan is dishing out 17.3 assists per game and scoring 1.12 points per possession. Danny Wolf has been spectacular lately and on Tuesday night, the 7-foot-tandem of Wolf and Vlad Goldin dominated.
Iowa’s interior defense isn’t great. So that will be a focal point and looking ahead to Saturday’s game, here are three keys and a prediction.
Iowa isn’t a good defensive team. That’s just not what the Hawkeyes do well. They have done a good job of forcing turnovers but their defense at the rim is among the worst in college basketball. Iowa allows 38.9 points per game in the paint. That’s music to the ears of Michigan basketball which wants to attack the basket with it two 7-footers.
Wolf and Goldin destroyed Wisconsin by using the two 7-footers together in ball screens. Wolf can attack and shoot like a guard, while Goldin is a stellar finisher. That’s going to be tough to stop and my guess is that we’ll see more of that Saturday as Iowa tries to swich everything.
Scoring inside is one big advantage Michigan basketball should have in this game and it needs to lean on it.
