By Will McCahill
Daily Sports Editor
Tonight's Michigan men's basketball game against Iowa has all the makings of an epic contest.
The teams are tied for fifth in the Big Ten. Both are coming off of huge, emotional home losses. And both are desperately in need of a victory to regain some momentum as the Big Ten season enters its home stretch, and the run to the NCAA tournament begins.
For the No. 18 Wolverines (7-5 Big Ten, 17-7 overall), tonight's visit to Carver-Hawkeye Arena is the first of consecutive away games, and Michigan junior forward Maceo Baston knows exactly how important tonight's contest is for both squads.
"We know that we have to get a win, and we're desperate to get a win," he said.
"Iowa has lost (three in a row) so they need a win, too. Both of us need wins, and both of us need momentum going into the tournament."
The Hawkeyes (7-5, 16-8) may still be feeling the effects of Saturday's 68-66 loss to conference leader Minnesota - a game they had a chance to win at the buzzer - but Michigan coach Steve Fisher said he doubts Iowa will have forgotten where its strength lies - on the offensive glass.
"They are an extremely good offensive-rebounding team," Fisher said. "We need to make sure that Iowa has more turnovers and that we have more offensive rebounds."
Indeed, the Wolverines' poor rebounding has become a serious concern for Fisher. Michigan has only won the battle of the boards once in its last eight games, a fact that has not gone unnoticed.
"Our rebounding has been less than acceptable," Fisher said. "We are not a team that rebounds the way we should, at either end of the floor."
And it is rebounding that sophomore center Robert Traylor said the team has been concentrating on in this week's practices.
"Iowa's a great rebounding team - they basically thrive off of rebounds," he said. "We have to go in there with a mindset and a focus that we're going to get every rebound that comes off."
The Hawkeyes lead the conference in rebounding margin, cleaning the glass an average of six times more per game than their opponents. The Wolverines, despite their vaunted size and bulk, are outrebounding opponents by a mere 0.08 boards per game.
Not only must the Wolverines contend with world-class Windex-wielders, Traylor said, but they must find a way to control Iowa point guard Andre Woolridge. The senior leads the conference not only in scoring, but also in assists.
"When he runs good, Iowa runs good," Traylor said.
Baston, in fact, was more frank about how good Woolridge is.
"Woolridge is the Jordan of the Big Ten," he said. "You can't really stop him."
Woolridge dropped 25 points on the Wolverines during the teams' first meeting this season, a 79-71 Michigan victory. And that, Fisher said, was despite some good defense by Michigan junior guards Brandun Hughes and Travis Conlan.
"I thought he made some hard shots against us in the first game," Fisher said. "He made some huge, big-time baskets that I couldn't believe went in."
Although Fisher said the Wolverines will certainly key on the head Hawkeye, he seemed resigned to the fact that Woolridge will score his usual 20 points or so.
"He has to score difficult baskets," he said, "and he'll get enough points doing it that way."
Michigan, with the league's second-highest scoring offense at 75.3 points per game, will have to contend with an Iowa squad that allows less than 64 points per contest, second-best in the conference.
All signs point toward a hard-fought battle from tonight's 7:30 tipoff, Baston said.
"It'll be a good game," he said. "It'll be more of a championship atmosphere out there."
And like many students this time of year, Baston is looking for accomplishments to enhance his appeal with potential employers.
"I just want to go out there and get something to put in my resume saying that I've beaten them at their place."
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Hugs all around if the Wolverines can oust Iowa or one of their other formidable road opponents in the next two weeks. Michigan needs to steal a win away from Ann Arbor to assure itself an NCAA tournament bid.