Two things have remained constant during Todd Lickliter’s tenure at Iowa: the Hawkeyes lose a lot of games and they always play Michigan in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Hawks and Wolverines meet for the third year in a row in the opening round of the tournament on Thursday. Iowa is 10-21 overall and finished 4-14 in the Big Ten after a 35-point loss at Minnesota.
Likcliter says he thinks the team will fight back as it’s a new opportunity on a neutral floor. The Hawks will try to turn the tables after losing to the Wolverines the past two years in the opening round. He says they have not played well in the tournament, while Michigan has, and he says he’d like to think his team could be competitive.
Iowa lost both games to the Wolverines during the regular season, a lopsided loss in Ann Arbor and an overtime setback in Iowa City. Lickliter says they have to prepare well and compete, as the last two years have no impact on this year.