Michigan basketball reschedules Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa games following shutdown

Wolverines were shut down for 2 weeks, didn’t play for 23 days

Michigan coach Juwan Howard and guard Franz Wagner (21) celebrate during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) (Michael Conroy, Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

ANN ARBOR, Mich.Michigan basketball has rescheduled home games against Michigan State, Illinois and Iowa after several matchups were postponed by a three-week pause.

The Wolverines postponed five games after state officials forced the U of M athletic department to completely shut down for two weeks. Michigan ended up going 23 days without playing a game.

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Two of those five games -- home games against Michigan State and Illinois -- will now be made up, the university announced.

To make room for those games in the schedule, the Iowa game has been moved up.

Here’s how the final six games of the Michigan schedule will play out:

  • Feb. 21: at No. 4 Ohio State
  • Feb. 25: vs. 11 Iowa
  • Feb. 27: at Indiana
  • March 2: vs. No. 5 Illinois
  • March 4: vs. Michigan State
  • March 7: at Michigan State

The Iowa game was originally scheduled to take place March 4, but now, the Wolverines will finish the season with a home-and-home against in-state rival Michigan State.

Ohio State, Iowa and Illinois are the top three teams in the conference, other than Michigan. Indiana is also an NCAA Tournament team, and will be a difficult test on the road.

Right now, Michigan only has one loss and holds a two-game lead in the loss column over Illinois. But with this schedule, Juwan Howard’s team will really have to earn that Big Ten championship banner.


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Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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