Michigan Basketball escapes Iowa with narrow 71-68 win

· Yahoo Sports

IOWA CITY, IA - MARCH 5: Forward Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines goes to the basket in the first half against guard Tate Sage #34 of the Iowa Hawkeyes on March 5, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The No. 3 Michigan Wolverines defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday night in Iowa City, 71-68, finishing the 2025-2026 regular season perfect on the road. Forwards Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg scored 16 points each to help the Wolverines stay atop the Big Ten standings. Michigan moved to 27-2 overall and 17-1 with one game remaining on the schedule.

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Here’s how it all went down.

FIRST HALF

The first seven minutes of the contest for the Wolverines were something to forget. Michigan committed eight turnovers, with many of them coming on consecutive possessions.

As for the Iowa Hawkeyes, the hometown team capitalized early on the Wolverines’ mistakes, scoring their first seven points off those turnovers, and Iowa held a 13-7 lead.

With no L.J. Cason, head coach Dusty May went with new rotations early, as Roddy Gayle Jr. and Trey McKenney played earlier than in previous games. With the change, however, they provided a small spark for the Wolverines, as Gayle put up a quick four off the bench, and McKenney totaled five early points, bringing Michigan back and taking the lead, 14-13.

From there, Michigan’s starters got involved, as Morez Johnson Jr. knocked down a three-pointer and Elliot Cadeau got to the free throw line. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes went ice cold from the field, making one of their next 12 shots, largely due to the inside presence of Aday Mara.

Despite a five-point Michigan lead, however, Iowa would not go away. Its defense continued to suffocate the Wolverines, totaling 12 forced turnovers in the first half. By staying in it, the Hawkeyes’ leading scorer, Bennett Stirtz, finally got hot at the end of the half, draining back-to-back threes, and Iowa tied Michigan, 30-30, going into halftime.

The Wolverines shot 50 percent from the field, 5-for-10 from deep and went 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Iowa shot 35 percent from the field, 28 percent from three and also went 4-for-4 from the FT line. Nonetheless, it was the turnover margin (12-2) that made the biggest difference, setting up an exciting second half.

HALFTIME: MICHIGAN 30, IOWA 30

SECOND HALF

Michigan’s turnover issues did not immediately dissipate at the start of the second half, but it shot the ball much better out of the gate. Outside of a Stirtz three to open the half, Yaxel Lendeborg scored the first five Michigan points, Johnson followed with five of his own and Gayle added a fastbreak layup, sparking a 10-2 Wolverines run that pushed their lead to seven.

The lead would dwindle quickly, though, as Stirtz made a tough midrange over McKenney, Alvaro Folgueiras scored inside, Isaia Howard hammered one down and Stirtz got an-and-one floater to fall to cap a 9-0 Iowa run. The Hawkeyes led for the first time in the half, 46-43, with 12:25 left.

Continuing the trend of runs, Michigan got back into the driver’s seat as Lendeborg and Cadeau got to the charity stripe and Mara dominated inside, helping the Wolverines regain a four-point lead. Stirtz did momentarily hit his fourth three-pointer to end the run and give himself 19 points for the game, but Johnson got inside for two more buckets to give the Wolverines a 56-51 lead at the under-eight timeout.

Out of the stoppage, Michigan took the momentum and ran with it. After Iowa’s Tavion Banks finished through contact, Mara scored his fifth bucket inside (10 points), and Johnson converted an and-one (16 points) to give the Wolverines their largest lead of the game at 10.

The Hawkeyes did not go away, however, locking in defensively and going on a 7–0 run to cut Michigan’s lead to three. Cadeau got one back at the free throw line for his ninth point from the charity stripe, but Mara committed the team’s 17th and 18th turnovers and picked up his fourth foul, helping the Hawkeyes tie the game at 64 after a Cam Manyawu dunk. Mara thought he had the shot of the game on the following possession, banking one in off the glass with .1 second left on the shot clock, but Manyawu added to his 14-point total on the other end by doing the same thing. With 52 seconds remaining, the game was tied for an eighth time at 66.

With the game on the line, Mara converted a falling alley-oop to put Michigan back in front. Manyawu tried to answer on the other end but was rejected by Gayle at the rim. Out of a Michigan timeout, Johnson committed the team’s 18th turnover by traveling on the inbound catch. But once again, Gayle delivered defensively, stripping Banks on a drive to preserve Michigan’s lead with 7.7 seconds left.

Lendeborg made one of two free throws, leaving the door open, but Stirtz missed the potential game-tying shot as time expired, and Michigan escaped with a three-point victory.

FINAL SCORE: MICHIGAN 71, IOWA 68

MICHIGAN STAT LEADERS

F Morez Johnson Jr: 16 points, 7 rebounds

F Yaxel Lendeborg: 16 points, 8 rebounds

C Aday Mara: 14 points, 8 rebounds

G Elliot Cadeau: 11 points, 9 assists 

IOWA STAT LEADERS

G Bennett Stirtz: 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

G Cam Manyawu: 14 points, 8 rebounds

G Tate Sage: 9 points

UP NEXT

The Wolverines will aim to finish the regular season on a strong note, taking on rival Michigan State in Crisler Center on Sunday (4:30 p.m. ET on CBS).

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