No. 3 Michigan Holds Off Late Iowa Surge, Escapes Carver-Hawkeye With 71-68 Win

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Aday Mara’s soft touch in the final 90 seconds lifted third-ranked Michigan past Iowa’s furious comeback bid, sealing a 71-68 victory Thursday night and preserving the Wolverines’ share of the Big Ten regular-season title.

Michigan (source text does not provide record) appeared in control after building a double-digit second-half cushion, but Iowa ripped off an 11-1 burst to knot the score at 64 with 1:56 remaining. Mara answered immediately, banking in a contested jumper just ahead of the shot-clock buzzer to restore the lead. Cam Manyawu countered with a paint bucket to tie it again at 66, yet Mara sealed the outcome by soaring for a lob finish with 43 seconds left, putting the Wolverines up 68-66.

The Hawkeyes had two possessions to draw even. They misfired on three consecutive shots before a Tavion Banks turnover with seven seconds left handed the ball back to Michigan. After Yaxel Lendeborg sank two free throws with four seconds remaining, Bennett Stirtz’s desperation three from the right wing fell long as the horn sounded.

Lendeborg and freshman Morez Johnson Jr. paced a balanced Michigan attack with 16 points each. Mara, efficient at 7-for-10 from the floor, finished with 14, while Elliot Cadeau chipped in 11. The Wolverines dominated the glass 38-25 and shot 50 percent from the field, though 12 giveaways translated into 16 Iowa points.

Iowa (record not provided) shot 11 of 31 overall. Stirtz, the Hawkeyes’ leading scorer this season, began 1-for-9 before heating up with back-to-back triples in a 27-second span late in the first half to give Iowa a brief 30-28 edge. The teams entered intermission tied at 30, setting the stage for the tight finish that saw eight second-half lead changes.

The win keeps Michigan alone atop the Big Ten standings with one game remaining on its schedule.

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