Three Takeaways as Michigan Survives Tough Road Game at Iowa

On Thursday evening (March 5), the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines basketball team secured a nail-biting 71-68 victory on the road over Iowa.

The contest marked the last road game of the regular season for UofM, finishing the year a perfect 11-0 in road games.

Road Warriors.

We return to Ann Arbor on Sunday (March 8) to take on Michigan State. Get tickets on SeatGeek » https://t.co/iZyvf8MdvG pic.twitter.com/HyI69WSNcw
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) March 6, 2026

Roddy Gayle Jr. was the unsung hero of the game with two huge plays in the final minute of the game. First with a block, then forcing a turnover with seven seconds left to give Michigan possession of the ball late with a two-point lead.

Ugly Game for the Maize and Blue

This was a typical ‘trap game’ for a lot of reasons. Last week, the Wolverines clinched the regular-season Big Ten Title, meaning they are locked into the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. They also take on rival Michigan State in their season finale on Sunday (March 8).

With the matchup against the Hawkeyes squeezed between the big win over Illinois and the Spartans on the horizon, UofM seemed not to have that same spark.

It was a rough start for the Wolverines. After a good first possession of moving the ball and finding Yaxel Lendeborg for a wide-open three-pointer, Michigan struggled from that point on.

In the opening eight minutes of the game, Michigan had eight turnovers, averaging one per minute. They finished the opening half with 12 turnovers, as opposed to only two for the Hawkeyes. Elliot Cadeau finished with three turnovers in that span, while Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. each had two.

Michigan did cut down the turnovers in the second half, but they were unable to pull away from the Hawkeyes and get a comfortable lead.

First Game Without L.J. Cason… Who Will Step Up?

Last time out, against No. 10 Illinois on Friday, Feb. 27, backup point guard L.J. Cason suffered an injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

L.J. Cason against Minnesota. — Feb 24, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard L.J. Cason (2) is defended by Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Kai Shinholster (9) in the first half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Cason was beginning to flourish over the last month, receiving high praise from not only his team but national analysts as well. The guard was even mentioned as the ‘best backup point guard in college basketball.’

In Big Ten action, Cason was averaging 8.9 points per game while shooting over 50% from the floor and over 40% from deep.

In tonight’s contest, one person didn’t really seem to truly fill that role. The Wolverines usually have a nine-player rotation, but that was cut to eight without Cason. When starting point guard Cadeau was off the court, Trey McKenney and Roddy Gale Jr. spent time bringing the ball up the court.

The Bright Side

Despite not being the prettiest win, Michigan fans shouldn’t be concerned about the Wolverines performance against the Hawkeyes.

Michigan had an efficient night shooting the ball, finishing shooting 53% from the field, 50% from deep and 77.3% from the line.

Aday Mara takes the jump bal — Mar 5, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) and Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cam Manyawu (3) battle for the opening tipoff during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The three-headed monster in the frontcourt of Lendeborg, Johnson Jr. and Mara combined for 46 points.

Looking Ahead

As mentioned, it is a big matchup for UpfM to close the 2025-26 regular season campaign. The Wolverines will host rival Michigan State on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at the Crisler Center.