Michigan starts a pair of road games in a row as they venture over to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes tomorrow at 7 PM on FS1. There are no easy road wins in the Big Ten, and Iowa is another location that Michigan has seen some struggles in the past. They will hope to build off a current three-game win streak and win their second in a row at Iowa over the series history.
Iowa -- An Overview:
The Hawkeyes currently sit at 16-5, and 5-5 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes are, however, on a two-game losing streak with losses at home to Michigan State and at Minnesota. Iowa were ranked 19th in last week's AP Poll before the two losses dropped them out of the top-25. Last season, the Hawkeyes had the 19th ranked offense but the 242nd defense in the nation, despite a team that went just 14-19 and finished 12th in the Big Ten. This season, they sit 10th in terms of offense and an improved 124th in defense. They are still prone to some poor defensive outings, like giving up 92 to Minnesota which included Minnesota scoring two fewer points in the first half as they did in the entire game against Michigan. Their year has included some impressive performances, like a 142.3 Adjusted Offensive Efficiency night against Iowa State in which they scored 98 on their in-state rivals. With all five starters averaging double-figure points, they are a multi-optional offensive side that can strike out through various options.
Starting Five:
Iowa's best known player, and top scorer, is forward Tyler Cook. A 6'9" junior, Cook flirted with the NBA Draft before pulling out to return for his third season on the final day of the deadline. In turn, he has seen improvement in all major categories, including a jump from 15.3 to 16.6 points per game as well as now averaging 8.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He is physically strong and lives nearly exclusively within the post, shooting just four threes this season. He is shooting 59.2% inside the arc on the same average attempts per game as last season. Cook can bully smaller defenders inside, but his game's translation to the NBA is a bit iffier. With no three-point shot and not the height to play center, his game translates better to this collegiate level where he can focus on his own strengths. Cook has missed two games due to injury this month and has really played only two 'complete' games since returning, having shot the ball just twice against Illinois in his first games back from his second one missed. His assist numbers highlight a greater ability to find teammates, but he, at times, still is prone to some drives with his head down, and has committed 3.2 turnovers per game this season. Supremely talented, though, Cook offers a tough match-up. He is physically bigger and stronger than Ignas Brazdeikis and it is going to take a big effort in the low post to outplay him.
Tyler Cook may be the household name of the Hawkeyes, but no Hawkeye is playing better than sophomore Luka Garza right now. Standing 6'11" at, Garza had a very good freshman season, but things really kicked into high gear for the center starting in this fixture last season where he went ten-for-fourteen from two for 22 points. That game started a final six-game stretch of double-figure scoring which helped elevate expectations for him this season. Garza is averaging 14.8 points per game on 54.5% shooting, including 61.4% from inside the arc. His last four games have been nothing short of spectacular, though. Garza has scored at least twenty points in all four games averaging 21.8 per game over the last four with a 62.6% shot from two. He is a stellar free throw shooter as well shooting 87% from the line. Despite being the tallest man on the court in many instances, he could certainly improve as a rebounder as he averages just 4.7 boards per game. Despite thirteen games of double digit scoring, he has just one ten-plus rebound game -- against Penn State he snagged twelve. Still, his baseline mid-range jumper is always going to be a problem and he is crafty enough in the post to make defenders need solid footwork to guard him. Jon Teske is going to need to be alert both in the post and from the perimeter in order to silence the sophomore.
Another player who decided to test the NBA Draft waters was Isaiah Moss. Now a redshirt junior, the 6'5" guard decided to return after a solid season averaging 11.1 points per game on 42% shooting. This season has been a drop in points (down to 10.2 per game) but a huge uptick in three-point shooting. Moss is up from 38.6% to 46.2% from three and already has two games of at least five threes, last season he did not hit that mark once. The key last season for Moss was the three, as it is last season, but the sturdy wing can drive to the hole well also. Not exactly the first option, that allows Moss to fly under the radar of some of his other teammates and, in turn, explode for a bucket-load of points. Examples of this include 32 points against Minnesota last season as well as a season-high 23 points, again against Minnesota, and six threes this season. He has two more twenty-plus point outings this season, both include performances of four-or-more threes. He is shooting 68.2% from three over the last four games, but was silenced by Michigan State with just two points on one-for-seven shooting and zero-for-two from three. When the three-point shot is there, watch out, but if it is not, you have a good chance of silencing him.
At point guard is junior Jordan Bohannon. The 6'1" point-man is the heart of this Iowa team and he can do a ton. He has averaged over ten points per game in each of his three seasons with the Hawkeyes. That said, all his numbers have seen some drop, perhaps from the increased awareness that teams now have of him. His points per game are down to a career-low of 10.4, his assists are down a full two per game to just 3.4 this season, and, perhaps most importantly, his three-point percentage is down from an elite 43% last season to a still very good, but not as stellar 37.6%. Bohannon has taken 117 threes compared to just 44 twos. Consistency is key though for Bohannon. While it is true, as I have noted, that his numbers are down, his level of production remains high compared to plenty of other point guards, they just are not as much when looking at his impressive numbers of last season. He runs the show for a top-ten offense in the country, and Zavier Simpson is going to need to suffocate him on the perimeter. He was three-for-eleven from three against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament. That level of inefficient shooting would be huge for Michigan in Iowa City.
Rounding out the starting five is, in fact, one of the top freshmen of the conference, Joe Wieskamp. A 6'6" guard from Iowa, the hometown player and top-60 recruit of 2018 has made an immediate splash for Iowa. Wieskamp does a ton of things well. He is averaging 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on some stellar shooting methods. He is shooting 49.7% overall, 56.8% from two, and 43.2% from three. Wieskamp's a scorer on all three levels. He gets to the rim well and has very nice athleticism off the bounce, but much of his devastation has come from long range, where he has taken the majority of his shots. He scorer 24 points on a perfect eight-for-eight shooting night, with six threes, against Illinois. He is highly efficient and while yes, he is prone to a quiet night as all freshmen are, he has scored in double figures thirteen times. Additionally, of his four games of five or less points two have come in November and one of those was against Michigan State. He is another bright spot in what is the future of Iowa basketball, and he is a player not to watch only for the remainder of the season, but the future.
Bench Rundown:
Averaging the most minutes off the bench is Connor McCaffery. The redshirt freshman is, indeed, head coach Fran McCaffery's son, but the 6'5" guard certainly has earned his spot in the rotation. Despite injuries limiting him last season, this year he has been incredibly helpful for this season averaging nearly twenty minutes per game with 5.1 points and a near-team-high 3.3 assists per game as well. Despite this, he is just one-for-twelve from three and 35.5% from the field as a whole. He is, however, elite at getting to the line for a bench piece. He has shot ten more free throws than field goals, and he is 79.2% from there. The injury last season means he gets an extra season of eligibility, so this season can be used as a learning season again.
Redshirt senior Nicholas Baer is the only senior on the entire roster, and he plays crucial minutes for Iowa. Having played in all 21 games and started five when needed, the 6'7" forward is a reliable option off the bench to give solid minutes to. With Baer, you know exactly what you are going to get. As the sixth man of the season in the Big Ten as a sophomore, his production was actually down last season from his underclassmen seasons. This season, he is back up close to his production as a sophomore to the tune of 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. That also includes a 37.5% mark from three over 64 attempts. Shooting better is a positive sign as a whole for the senior to be producing more for the team he has spent five seasons with.
Off the bench at guard is Maishe Dailey. A 6'7" junior, Dailey was needed to back-up Jordan Bohannon as the primary point guard last season, especially with McCaffery hurt. Dailey, however, has struggled this season from three, which is where he shoots the majority of his shots. His three-point percentage has dropped from 38.9% to 21.1%, this over 38 attempts on this season. However, Dailey is 14-for-23 (60.9%) from two this season as a whole. His free throw shooting has also improved up from 57.6% to 76.5% this season. He needs to employ his size, especially when at point, to get to the rim against any smaller guards that may guard him.
Rounding out the regular bench contributors is Ryan Kreiner. A 6'9" junior forward, Kreiner is averaging double figure minutes for the second season in a row with 5.4 points per game. His offense has been a massive plus for the team as a whole as he's shooting 55.1% as a whole along with 61% from the inside. His season-best performance has been fifteen points on six-for-eight shooting against Penn State. He has been rewarded with two starts as well, one of those a fourteen-point night in a win over Nebraska. The Hawkeyes have won the four games in which he scored over ten points and if he continues his production, he is a key big man to have off the bench to spell Luka Garza and Tyler Cook.
Pre-Game Thoughts:
As I have mentioned time-and-time again, the way to beat Michigan is to have more than one scorers that can attack in many ways. Iowa has a whole team of players that specialize in various things. For Michigan, it is going to take a concentrated defense effort in order to handle Iowa. With the ability to also incorporate bodies off the bench, they present varying looks and lead scorers that could potentially frustrate Michigan. With Iowa's defense still the worst in the conference according to efficiency, Michigan's offense needs to put together a quality forty minutes against this Iowa defense, especially with this Iowa offense available.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
Iowa -- An Overview:
The Hawkeyes currently sit at 16-5, and 5-5 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes are, however, on a two-game losing streak with losses at home to Michigan State and at Minnesota. Iowa were ranked 19th in last week's AP Poll before the two losses dropped them out of the top-25. Last season, the Hawkeyes had the 19th ranked offense but the 242nd defense in the nation, despite a team that went just 14-19 and finished 12th in the Big Ten. This season, they sit 10th in terms of offense and an improved 124th in defense. They are still prone to some poor defensive outings, like giving up 92 to Minnesota which included Minnesota scoring two fewer points in the first half as they did in the entire game against Michigan. Their year has included some impressive performances, like a 142.3 Adjusted Offensive Efficiency night against Iowa State in which they scored 98 on their in-state rivals. With all five starters averaging double-figure points, they are a multi-optional offensive side that can strike out through various options.
Starting Five:
Iowa's best known player, and top scorer, is forward Tyler Cook. A 6'9" junior, Cook flirted with the NBA Draft before pulling out to return for his third season on the final day of the deadline. In turn, he has seen improvement in all major categories, including a jump from 15.3 to 16.6 points per game as well as now averaging 8.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He is physically strong and lives nearly exclusively within the post, shooting just four threes this season. He is shooting 59.2% inside the arc on the same average attempts per game as last season. Cook can bully smaller defenders inside, but his game's translation to the NBA is a bit iffier. With no three-point shot and not the height to play center, his game translates better to this collegiate level where he can focus on his own strengths. Cook has missed two games due to injury this month and has really played only two 'complete' games since returning, having shot the ball just twice against Illinois in his first games back from his second one missed. His assist numbers highlight a greater ability to find teammates, but he, at times, still is prone to some drives with his head down, and has committed 3.2 turnovers per game this season. Supremely talented, though, Cook offers a tough match-up. He is physically bigger and stronger than Ignas Brazdeikis and it is going to take a big effort in the low post to outplay him.
Tyler Cook may be the household name of the Hawkeyes, but no Hawkeye is playing better than sophomore Luka Garza right now. Standing 6'11" at, Garza had a very good freshman season, but things really kicked into high gear for the center starting in this fixture last season where he went ten-for-fourteen from two for 22 points. That game started a final six-game stretch of double-figure scoring which helped elevate expectations for him this season. Garza is averaging 14.8 points per game on 54.5% shooting, including 61.4% from inside the arc. His last four games have been nothing short of spectacular, though. Garza has scored at least twenty points in all four games averaging 21.8 per game over the last four with a 62.6% shot from two. He is a stellar free throw shooter as well shooting 87% from the line. Despite being the tallest man on the court in many instances, he could certainly improve as a rebounder as he averages just 4.7 boards per game. Despite thirteen games of double digit scoring, he has just one ten-plus rebound game -- against Penn State he snagged twelve. Still, his baseline mid-range jumper is always going to be a problem and he is crafty enough in the post to make defenders need solid footwork to guard him. Jon Teske is going to need to be alert both in the post and from the perimeter in order to silence the sophomore.
Another player who decided to test the NBA Draft waters was Isaiah Moss. Now a redshirt junior, the 6'5" guard decided to return after a solid season averaging 11.1 points per game on 42% shooting. This season has been a drop in points (down to 10.2 per game) but a huge uptick in three-point shooting. Moss is up from 38.6% to 46.2% from three and already has two games of at least five threes, last season he did not hit that mark once. The key last season for Moss was the three, as it is last season, but the sturdy wing can drive to the hole well also. Not exactly the first option, that allows Moss to fly under the radar of some of his other teammates and, in turn, explode for a bucket-load of points. Examples of this include 32 points against Minnesota last season as well as a season-high 23 points, again against Minnesota, and six threes this season. He has two more twenty-plus point outings this season, both include performances of four-or-more threes. He is shooting 68.2% from three over the last four games, but was silenced by Michigan State with just two points on one-for-seven shooting and zero-for-two from three. When the three-point shot is there, watch out, but if it is not, you have a good chance of silencing him.
At point guard is junior Jordan Bohannon. The 6'1" point-man is the heart of this Iowa team and he can do a ton. He has averaged over ten points per game in each of his three seasons with the Hawkeyes. That said, all his numbers have seen some drop, perhaps from the increased awareness that teams now have of him. His points per game are down to a career-low of 10.4, his assists are down a full two per game to just 3.4 this season, and, perhaps most importantly, his three-point percentage is down from an elite 43% last season to a still very good, but not as stellar 37.6%. Bohannon has taken 117 threes compared to just 44 twos. Consistency is key though for Bohannon. While it is true, as I have noted, that his numbers are down, his level of production remains high compared to plenty of other point guards, they just are not as much when looking at his impressive numbers of last season. He runs the show for a top-ten offense in the country, and Zavier Simpson is going to need to suffocate him on the perimeter. He was three-for-eleven from three against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament. That level of inefficient shooting would be huge for Michigan in Iowa City.
Rounding out the starting five is, in fact, one of the top freshmen of the conference, Joe Wieskamp. A 6'6" guard from Iowa, the hometown player and top-60 recruit of 2018 has made an immediate splash for Iowa. Wieskamp does a ton of things well. He is averaging 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on some stellar shooting methods. He is shooting 49.7% overall, 56.8% from two, and 43.2% from three. Wieskamp's a scorer on all three levels. He gets to the rim well and has very nice athleticism off the bounce, but much of his devastation has come from long range, where he has taken the majority of his shots. He scorer 24 points on a perfect eight-for-eight shooting night, with six threes, against Illinois. He is highly efficient and while yes, he is prone to a quiet night as all freshmen are, he has scored in double figures thirteen times. Additionally, of his four games of five or less points two have come in November and one of those was against Michigan State. He is another bright spot in what is the future of Iowa basketball, and he is a player not to watch only for the remainder of the season, but the future.
Bench Rundown:
Averaging the most minutes off the bench is Connor McCaffery. The redshirt freshman is, indeed, head coach Fran McCaffery's son, but the 6'5" guard certainly has earned his spot in the rotation. Despite injuries limiting him last season, this year he has been incredibly helpful for this season averaging nearly twenty minutes per game with 5.1 points and a near-team-high 3.3 assists per game as well. Despite this, he is just one-for-twelve from three and 35.5% from the field as a whole. He is, however, elite at getting to the line for a bench piece. He has shot ten more free throws than field goals, and he is 79.2% from there. The injury last season means he gets an extra season of eligibility, so this season can be used as a learning season again.
Redshirt senior Nicholas Baer is the only senior on the entire roster, and he plays crucial minutes for Iowa. Having played in all 21 games and started five when needed, the 6'7" forward is a reliable option off the bench to give solid minutes to. With Baer, you know exactly what you are going to get. As the sixth man of the season in the Big Ten as a sophomore, his production was actually down last season from his underclassmen seasons. This season, he is back up close to his production as a sophomore to the tune of 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. That also includes a 37.5% mark from three over 64 attempts. Shooting better is a positive sign as a whole for the senior to be producing more for the team he has spent five seasons with.
Off the bench at guard is Maishe Dailey. A 6'7" junior, Dailey was needed to back-up Jordan Bohannon as the primary point guard last season, especially with McCaffery hurt. Dailey, however, has struggled this season from three, which is where he shoots the majority of his shots. His three-point percentage has dropped from 38.9% to 21.1%, this over 38 attempts on this season. However, Dailey is 14-for-23 (60.9%) from two this season as a whole. His free throw shooting has also improved up from 57.6% to 76.5% this season. He needs to employ his size, especially when at point, to get to the rim against any smaller guards that may guard him.
Rounding out the regular bench contributors is Ryan Kreiner. A 6'9" junior forward, Kreiner is averaging double figure minutes for the second season in a row with 5.4 points per game. His offense has been a massive plus for the team as a whole as he's shooting 55.1% as a whole along with 61% from the inside. His season-best performance has been fifteen points on six-for-eight shooting against Penn State. He has been rewarded with two starts as well, one of those a fourteen-point night in a win over Nebraska. The Hawkeyes have won the four games in which he scored over ten points and if he continues his production, he is a key big man to have off the bench to spell Luka Garza and Tyler Cook.
Pre-Game Thoughts:
As I have mentioned time-and-time again, the way to beat Michigan is to have more than one scorers that can attack in many ways. Iowa has a whole team of players that specialize in various things. For Michigan, it is going to take a concentrated defense effort in order to handle Iowa. With the ability to also incorporate bodies off the bench, they present varying looks and lead scorers that could potentially frustrate Michigan. With Iowa's defense still the worst in the conference according to efficiency, Michigan's offense needs to put together a quality forty minutes against this Iowa defense, especially with this Iowa offense available.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
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