Wolverines Report: Strategy And Personnel

GAME PREVIEW

--at Iowa, Feb. 19

KEY MATCHUPS
The Wolverines come off of a heart-breaking loss in a near-upset at Illinois to encounter an Iowa team that has been gaining its footing recently, and one of the more interesting matchups involves Iowa freshman F Melsahn Basabe tangling inside with Michigan's freshman F Jordan Morgan. Basabe had 13 points and 11 rebounds in the Hawkeyes' recent overtime loss to Wisconsin. Morgan has been on a bit of a run himself, so the winner of this individual bout should help his team prevail in the overall battle.

FUTURES MARKET
There likely is not a team in the Big Ten more anxious than the Wolverines to see what the coming seasons will hold. Michigan has recently put together wins in five of six conference games, and done so with a lineup that includes three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. As the youngest team in the Big Ten and one of the youngest in the nation, Michigan was expected to take considerable lumps throughout 2010-11, but recent results appear to have the Wolverines demonstrating an ability to play wise beyond their years. Experience will only make this team better, and the Wolverines will enter the coming seasons as one of the richest teams in the Big Ten in that resource.

PLAYER NOTES

--In the recent win over Northwestern, Michigan was led by freshman F Jordan Morgan and his career-high 27 points.

--Junior F Zack Novak has recorded four double-doubles this season through games played Feb. 12.

--Michigan freshman G Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a career-high 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field as the Wolverines held off Indiana and won for the fifth time in a recent stretch of six Big Ten games.

--Junior F Zack Novak equaled his career high with six assists in the win over Indiana. He also contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.

--Freshman G Tim Hardaway Jr. had all 13 of his points in the final seven and a half minutes of the game to lead Michigan to a 65-62 road win over Penn State.

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