Michigan Basketball: 3 things we learned from win vs Iowa State

Young guys are growing

The addition of Wagner to the starting lineup was the big news for Michigan basketball at the start of the day, yet, by the end of it, it may have been the 14 points scored by DeJulius.

It was part of a 31-point bench effort from the Wolverines, who also got 10 points off the bench from Castleton. Brandon Johns was able to grab four rebounds and even Nunez knocked down a three after struggling with his shot.

The bottom line is that Michigan doesn’t beat Iowa State without the 24 points from DeJulius and Castleton.

DeJulius made a long two and a then a 3-pointer late in the game when the Cyclones were trying to come back. He remains one of the few guards who can create his own shot late in the game and it will be interesting to see if he starts to play more at the end of games.

Castleton also showed his enormous potential. He struggled when he tried to post up and play with his back to the basket. But when he faced up, he did a nice job and his defense was solid too.

The biggest takeaway is that with Wagner back, the bench is deeper and as young guys keep growing, it’s getting better and better.