Michigan Basketball: 3 Predictions for Wolverines vs Iowa

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 03: Head Basketball Coach Juwan Howard draws up a play for (l-r) Franz Wagner #21, Eli Brooks #55, Mike Smith #12, Chaundee Brown Jr. #15, and Hunter Dickinson #1 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of a college basketball game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Crisler Arena on January 3, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

2 of 4

(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Garza gets his

Last year, Iowa and Michigan played two highly entertaining games as the Wolverines won 104-93 in the first matchup and then fell 90-83 in the rematch.

In both games, Michigan basketball really didn’t have an answer for Garza, who scored 44 points in the first loss and 33 in the second game.

So the key to the game wasn’t really about Garza, it was more about the guys around him. In Iowa’s loss, it was 3-of-15 from the 3-point line. In the win, it was 9-for-15 from deep. That was the difference between the two games and that will be the difference Thursday night.

Juwan Howard didn’t double down on Garza much last season and with 7-foot-1 Hunter Dickinson guarding him, I don’t expect him to tonight.

Garza attempted 50 shots against the Wolverines last season and made 27 of them. But honestly, if the Wolverines can hold Garza to around 50 percent tonight, I think they will be very pleased.

Dickinson is strong and has grown by leaps and bounds as a defender. We’ll see if he’s crafty enough to slow down Garza, although Austin Davis will get some chances to guard and foul him too.

Guarding one of the best low-post scorers in America will have consequences and Garza will probably score 30 points. However, if that means limiting open attempts for Joe Wieskamp and Jordan Bohannon, two guys who combined to average nearly five treys a game, then it will be well worth it.

Home/Michigan Basketball