- The Michigan Wolverines women’s basketball team will play the Iowa State Cyclones in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
- Michigan makes its seventh-straight tournament appearance.
- Michigan has never advanced to the national championship game. The furthest the team has gone was the Elite Eight in 2022.
The Michigan Wolverines women’s basketball team joins 63 other teams from across the country in an attempt become national champions as the NCAA tournament is officially underway.
After finishing the regular season with a 22-10 overall record (11-7 in Big Ten conference games), Michiga clinched the 6-seed in the Birmingham-3 regional and marked its seventh-straight tournament appearance. Michigan will play its first matchup against the Iowa State Cyclones in South Bend, Ind., for the fourth time in the schools’ history.
While the men’s team has made several appearances in the championship game, the women’s team has never made it to the final game of the tournament. The furthest they have gone was the Elite Eight in 2022.
Watch Michigan-Iowa State on Fubo
Who has the advantage on offense?
The Wolverines were among the best offensive teams in the Big Ten averaging 78 points a game and shooting 45% from the field (35.5% from deep) this season. Conversely, Iowa State was fourth in the Big 12 putting up 77 points a game and made nearly 47% of its shots against all opponents, including 36% from behind the arc.
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Both teams got their fair share of attempts at the foul line. The Cyclones averaged 14-made free throws while Michigan was able to make 13 a game. When it comes to sharing the ball, Iowa state has the advantage in that regard with 19 assists a game.
Advantage: Wolverines
What about on defense?
Both teams had their struggles with turning over the ball. Iowa State turned the ball over 14 times a game this season while Michigan had nearly 16 a game. When it comes to forcing turnovers, the Wolverines have the advantage, stealing the ball eight times on average.
The Cyclones led their conference in defensive rebounds with 29.5 all season long. The Wolverines, meanwhile, were middle of the pack grabbing 26 per game.
When it comes to shot block, the advantage favors the Big 12 contenders who collected three a game.
Advantage: Cyclones
Players to watch
Michigan: Expect for freshman guard Syla Swords to continue to build off the success of the regular season. Swords shared the team’s scoring title with teammate Olivia Olsen as both averaged 16 points a game, but was the top rebounder on the roster and shot 88% from the free-throw line.
Iowa State: The most impactful player on the team has been sophomore center Audi Crooks, who led the Cyclones offense 23 points, seven rebounds and shot 60% from the field.
Michigan women’s basketball prediction vs Iowa State in March Madness
While it appears the Wolverines could face some struggles on the defensive end of the ball, they have the offensive caliber to match the Cyclones. Michigan historically has advanced to the second round each time they played a lower seeded opponent in the opening round. The game should end up in a tightly contested matchup. The pick: U-M 77, Iowa State 73
Contact Eric Guzmán: [email protected]; 313-222-1850. Follow him on X: @EricGuzman90
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