Michigan Basketball: 5 bold predictions for the 2020-21 season

#3: Michigan finishes higher than Iowa in the Big Ten

I’m not going to come on here and predict that Michigan basketball is going to win the Big Ten. We know that is unlikely. Could Michigan surprise some people and click as a team and make a run at a conference championship? Sure, why not?

But I will come on here and predict that Michigan basketball finishes higher than Iowa in the Big Ten this season. Iowa is thought to be the favorite to win the conference by many experts. Jon Rothstein said that if Garza returns, the Big Ten will go through Iowa City. CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish says “Hawkeyes are undeniably the favorites in the Big Ten.”

The hype is there for Iowa basketball this season and I think it’s ridiculous and I’m not buying it. Luka Garza is a phenomenal player. I have always been outspoken about how big of a fan I am of him. He’s one of the hardest workers in the sport and he’s a genuinely good guy as well.

But one guy doesn’t win you a conference championship. And one guy doesn’t allow you to overcome bad coaching. Joe Weiskamp is a nice player. But he has really benefitted from playing along side Garza. When you play as fast as Iowa plays and play along side the best player in the conference, your stats are inflated significantly. He’s not a guy that I believe teams will be scared of.

CJ Frederick is back for Iowa and is a 3-point specialist. As a freshman last season, he shot 46 percent from three and was a crucial floor spacer for Iowa.

But do you think guys like Weiskamp and Frederick are going to carry Garza if he’s having an off night? Do you trust Iowa to play any defense this season? Do you trust a Fran McCaffrey led team to win important games down the stretch to win a Big Ten championship? I know I don’t.

As it sits right now, I’d buy stock in Illinois, Michigan State, Michigan, and Wisconsin before I would Iowa. I don’t trust their coaching and I don’t trust there’s enough help around Luka Garza.

I think Iowa will be a very fun team again this season. The Hawkeyes are a team that could even make noise in March. But I fully expect them to finish in that 3-5 range in the Big Ten this season.