History does not always repeat itself, as the Iowa men's basketball team found out Sunday.
The Hawkeyes employed the same zone defense game plan as a year ago, but this time there was a different outcome.
Last year, Michigan's three-guard rotation struggled against the Hawkeyes at Crisler Arena, losing, 62-55. This year, Michigan's three guards - Brandun Hughes, Louis Bullock and Travis Conlan - turned the tables on the Hawkeyes (5-1 Big Ten, 14-4 overall) to win, 79-71, and destroy their previous unbeaten mark in the Big Ten.
Last year, the Hawkeyes destroyed the Wolverines (4-2, 13-4) mainly by destroying their guards. The Hawkeyes' stifling defense shut down Michigan's perimeter game, holding its guards to a 3-of-22 shooting performance.
This year, Michigan's guards connected on 15 of 29 field goals, and the Wolverines sunk 52 percent of their shots as a team.
"If you want to look at specifics as to why (the Wolverines) are better now (it's) because of the addition of Hughes into the backcourt as well as the improvement of Bullock and Conlan," Iowa coach Tom Davis said. "They're both better, and then you add in a third guy who is also very good and tough to cover."
The Hawkeyes played the No. 18 Wolverines in a zone for most of the afternoon, intending to shut down Michigan's post play.
And it worked for the most part, especially on Maurice Taylor.
He attempted just seven shots for the entire game, connecting on three, and finished with eight points. Fellow forward Maceo Baston had many of the same problems in the paint, finishing with five points, while center Robert Traylor finished with nine.
Iowa's zone undoubtedly kept Taylor - and the other big men - off-balance all afternoon and allowed the Hawkeyes to collapse on him when he touched the ball. But his limited movement with and without the ball cut down on his touches and turnaround jumpers.
"(The Hawkeyes) historically play a lot of zone ... and they did not want our big people to beat them, so they made it difficult for us to get it inside," Michigan coach Steve Fisher said.
"I think 24 threes, which I believe is what we took, is probably too many. We got to get our post players touches. It starts with me, then goes to Mo, Rob and Maceo and then it goes to the guards."
While the Wolverines' big men struggled, the perimeter players picked up the slack and took advantage of Iowa's zone. Bullock, Conlan and Hughes combined for 44 points, a whopping 56 percent of Michigan's offensive output.
Coming off the bench, Hughes lit up the court and was one of the only Wolverines who successfully broke down the zone and penetrated the lane regularly. He finished with 18 points and three assists.
After the Wolverines amassed a 36-35 lead with 1:40 remaining in the first half, Hughes hit a jumper from the left side with 44 seconds remaining. He then hit another off-balanced runner in the lane as time wound down, giving the Wolverines a 40-37 lead at the half.
"I've been working on that here the last few weeks, just taking it to the basket," Hughes said. "I think that's when I'm at my best. That's just how I am, that's just how I always play so I'm going to continue playing that way, and hopefully I'll get better as the Big Ten season goes along."
Hughes had 10 of his 18 total points at the half, but hit key jumpers and made big defensive stops in the second to offset the hot hand of Iowa's Andre Woolridge, who was unconscious for most of the second half, finishing with 25 points.
The Hawkeyes were still in the game until the waning seconds of the game. With 3:09 remaining, Woolridge hit an off-balance 3-pointer - one of his five treys on the day - cutting Michigan's lead to 75-71. Traylor stepped to the line with 1:50 remaining and missed both free throw attempts. On Iowa's next possession, Hughes knocked the ball away from Woolridge, one of the bigger defensive stops of the game.
Woolridge had one last chance to bring the Hawkeyes to within one point. He looked for a screen that didn't materialize, yet heaved another 3-pointer that clanked off the rim. Bullock grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 21.1 seconds remaining. Subsequent trips to the line for Bullock sealed the game.