3. Garza’s height may be Iowa’s biggest weapon against Oregon
As if he was not important in every other game, Luka Garza‘s involvement against Oregon will be needed – and, more than anything else, his height may be the Hawkeyes’ biggest key to victory.
Of the seven Ducks who routinely see substantial playing time, just one is taller than 6-6, with Chandler Lawson coming in at 6-8. Oregon’s starting center, Eugene Omoruyi, checks in at 6-6, and all five members of the Ducks’ starting lineup are between 6-5 and 6-6.
More than likely, the Ducks will be forced to rely on Lawson and fellow big man Franck Kepnang – a 6-11 freshman who sees just 8.6 minutes per game – to keep Garza in check on the defensive end. Paired with that and Omoruyi’s height, it is imperative that Garza takes advantage of Oregon’s size.
At the very least, he should have an easier time shooting the ball inside the perimeter than he did against Grand Canyon’s pair of centers, where he was 5-11 inside – and a blistering 4-5 from the perimeter – to finish with 24 points. His six rebounds were the lowest in a win since January 10th.
For Iowa to win, their defense must be better than it was against Grand Canyon, where the Hawkeyes surrendered 74 points – the most since a February 4th loss to Ohio State. That defense must extend from the inside out – because if the Hawkeyes rely solely on their offense and turn this into a back-and-forth battle of trading baskets, then they will be in for a long haul.