No. 3 Michigan holds off a late run by Iowa, beats the Hawkeyes 71-68

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Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau (3) drives to the basket between Iowa guard Tate Sage (24) and guard Isaia Howard (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Iowa forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) drives around Michigan forward Will Tschetter during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) — Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau (3) drives to the basket between Iowa guard Tate Sage (24) and guard Isaia Howard (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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10:32 PM on Thursday, March 5

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg scored 16 points apiece, and Aday Mara had two tiebreaking shots in the final 1:22 as No. 3 Michigan defeated Iowa 71-68 on Thursday night.

The Wolverines (28-2, 18-1 Big Ten) were held 18 points below their season scoring average, but managed to hold off the Hawkeyes (20-10, 10-9) in the closing seconds.

Iowa went on an 11-1 run to tie the game at 64 with 1:56 to play before Mara banked in a shot before the shot clock expired, putting Michigan in front again. After Iowa’s Cam Manyawu scored inside to tie the game at 66, Mara, who finished with 14 points on 7-for-10 shooting, scored off a lob with 43 seconds left to put the Wolverines ahead to stay.

Iowa had chances to tie the game on back-to-back possessions, but missed three shots on one of the possessions and lost the ball on another after a turnover by Tavion Banks with seven seconds left.

The Hawkeyes had a final chance to tie the game after Lendeborg made two free throws with four seconds remaining, but Bennett Stirtz’s 3-pointer try was long.

Elliot Cadeau added 11 points for the Wolverines, the Big Ten regular-season champions.

Stirtz led Iowa with 21 points. Manyawu had 14.

Michigan had a 38-25 rebounding edge on the Hawkeyes.

The game was tied at 30 at halftime. Michigan shot 50% from the field, but committed 12 turnovers that Iowa turned into 16 points.

The Hawkeyes were 11 of 31 from the field, with Stirtz especially struggling to make shots. Stirtz, Iowa’s leading scorer this season, made just one of his first nine shots, then hit back-to-back 3-pointers in a 27-second span to give Iowa a 30-28 lead.

Up next

Michigan: Hosts No. 8 Michigan State on Sunday.

Iowa: At No. 9 Nebraska on Sunday.

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