3 Takeaways: Wagner's a force, Big Ten breakdown, assisting others

IOWA CITY — Iowa forward Ahmad Wagner has one charge when he enters a basketball game — give the team energy.

There's no doubt the 6-foot-7 freshman provides energy and more every time he takes the floor. In Sunday's 85-71 win against Northwestern, Wagner was active, tough and energetic. In a four-minute, first-half span, Wagner helped take a close game to a 10-point Iowa advantage with hustle plays at both ends of the court.

With the score tied at 18-18, Wagner rebounded Northwestern guard Tre Demps' missed 3-pointer. At the other end, Iowa guard Peter Jok hit a 3-pointer to put the Hawkeyes up 21-18. On Northwestern's next possession, Wagner tipped a Nathan Taphorn pass intended for Alex Olah. The ball caromed to Iowa guard Anthony Clemmons. That led to a free throw from Jok, who missed the second one. Wagner pulled down the offensive board and was fouled. Wagner then knocked down a pair of free throws.

Two Northwestern possessions later, Wagner rebounded an Aaron Falzon miss. He was fouled and sank two free throws. At the other end, he grabbed a steal and was tied up to give Iowa the ball. On Iowa's next possession, Wagner put back Jok's missed 3-point attempt for another score. When he left the court with 4:46 left in the first half, Wagner received a standing ovation.

'I wanted to come in and just affect the game somehow,' Wagner said. 'I happened to be in the right place at the right time on a couple of passes, and I got a couple steals, a couple putbacks and everything.'

Wagner finished with six points, four rebounds, three steals and one assist in 15 minutes. It was his most extended action in Big Ten play. He was a force when Iowa switched to zone defense, whether it was to add pressure or defend the post.

'He's not a mistake guy. He comes in and he's rock solid,' Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. 'He knows what we're doing, so we're changing defenses a little bit from the way we started the game.

'We pressed, we went back to the zone. When you're in the zone and they're a team that can make 11 3s — which they did — it puts a lot of pressure on the guy in the middle because they're screening up top and they're getting Demps and (Bryant) McIntosh and (Aaron) Falzon. So you're in there fighting by yourself, not unlike man-to-man. I thought his movement and his awareness was terrific.'

Wagner, a Yellow Springs, Ohio native, has a thick build at 225 pounds, but has the athletic ability of a guard. He averages 8.2 minutes a game in Big Ten play and just 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds. But he has six steals, five blocks, two assists and only two turnovers in nine league games.

By bringing energy, Wagner hopes to inflict change on the floor. That's his goal each time he takes the court.

'Just go in there and get as many rebounds as possible, score if I need to, play defense and just bring energy,' he said. 'Just bring energy every single time. Whenever we're down, I was trying to get the team up and everything.'

2. Second-half scheduling. Now that every Big Ten team has played at least nine games (six have played 10), it's fair to analyze the league at the halfway point.

Four teams are within one game of the lead in the loss column. Iowa and Indiana are tied at 8-1, Maryland is 8-2 and Michigan is 7-2. But all four arrived at their destination in different ways.

Indiana had the easiest schedule of the four (and all 14 Big Ten teams), with its nine opponents compiling a 25-60 Big Ten record (29.4 winning percentage). Michigan's league schedule was the Big Ten's second-easiest with its nine foes holding a 33-51 record (39.3 percent). Maryland's opponents were 46-49 (48.4 percent), while Iowa's were 48-39 (55.2 percent).

Going forward, Indiana has the league's second-toughest schedule with its opponents at 54-32 (62.8 percent). Michigan is right behind in third at 51-36 (58.6 percent). Maryland's last eight opponents are 40-35 (53.3 percent) while Iowa's are 40-43 (48.2 percent).

Here's a look at the Big Ten schedules through nine (or 10) games and what teams face after the turn. Order is from the most difficult to least difficult;

FIRST HALF

Rutgers (0-9) 59-26 (69.4%)

Northwestern (3-7) 55-40 (57.9%)

Illinois (2-7) 49-37 (56.9%)

Minnesota (0-10) 53-41 (56.4%)

Penn State (2-7) 49-38 (56.3%)

Iowa (8-1) 48-39 (55.2%)

Wisconsin (5-4) 44-41 (51.8%)

Maryland (8-2) 46-49 (48.4%)

Nebraska (4-5) 41-44 (48.2%)

Purdue (7-3) 42-50 (45.7%)

Michigan State (6-4) 40-53 (43.0%)

Ohio State (6-4) 40-55 (42.1%)

Michigan (7-2) 33-51 (39.3%)

Indiana (8-1) 25-60 (29.4%)

SECOND HALF

Purdue 49-27 (64.5%)

Indiana 54-32 (62.8%)

Michigan 51-36 (58.6%)

Michigan State 43-34 (55.8%)

Wisconsin 48-38 (55.8%)

Penn State 40-33 (54.8%)

Maryland 40-35 (53.3%)

Ohio State 39-36 (54.8%)

Iowa 40-43 (48.2%)

Nebraska 41-44 (48.2%)

Minnesota 33-41 (48.2%)

Illinois 34-50 (40.5%)

Northwestern 28-47 (37.3%)

Rutgers (0-9) 25-61 (29.1%)

Seven Big Ten teams have at least six wins right now. Here's what they face on the Big Ten's back stretch:

Iowa (8-1) — 5 of 9 opponents with winning records; Indiana twice; road against Michigan and Ohio State; home against Wisconsin

Indiana (8-1) — 6 of 9 opponents with winning records: Iowa twice; road against Michigan and Michigan State; home against Purdue and Maryland

Maryland (8-2) — 5 of 8 opponents with winning records: Purdue twice; road against Indiana; home against Michigan and Wisconsin

Michigan (7-2) — 7 of 9 opponents with winning records: home against Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue and Iowa; road against Ohio State, Wisconsin and Maryland

Purdue (7-3) — 6 of 8 opponents with winning records: Maryland twice; home against Michigan State and Wisconsin; road against Michigan and Indiana

Michigan State (6-4) — 6 of 8 opponents with winning records: Ohio State twice; road against Michigan and Purdue; home against Indiana and Wisconsin

Ohio State (6-4) — 5 of 8 opponents with winning records: Michigan State twice; home against Michigan and Iowa; road against Wisconsin

A couple of other notes:

Indiana plays three of its next four on the road, including games at Michigan and Michigan State. The Hoosiers finish the season at Iowa and against Maryland in Bloomington.

Four of Iowa's next five opponents have at least seven Big Ten losses. But the Hawkeyes finish at Ohio State, home against Indiana and then at Michigan.

Maryland plays Michigan (home), Purdue (road) and Indiana (road) in three of its final four games.

Five of Michigan's next six opponents have a combined record of 35-14.

Michigan State's next three opponents (Michigan, Purdue, Indiana) are a combined 22-6 in Big Ten play.

Ohio State ends with Michigan State twice and Iowa in the middle.

Five of Purdue's next six foes are a combined 37-11 in the league.

And ... Rutgers might win a game or two. The Scarlet Knights play only two teams with winning records, including Minnesota (0-10) twice. Only one of Rutgers' first nine opponents had a losing record.

As for the weekly rankings, Maryland is third in the USA Today/Coaches poll and fourth by the Associated Press. The Coaches ranked Iowa seventh, while AP has the Hawkeyes fifth. Michigan State is 10th in both polls, while Purdue is 16th by the coaches and 18th by AP. Indian ranks 21st by the coaches and 22nd by AP.

3. Assisting others. Iowa ranks third nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.71. Oddly, Iowa had just 10 assists to 10 turnovers against Northwestern. That statistic seemed to surprise McCaffery.

'Seemed like whoever was throwing the ball to Pete (Jok) would have had 10 assists,' McCaffery said with a laugh.

Point guard Mike Gesell had three assists on three consecutive 3-pointers by Jok early in the second half. Gesell, who ranks third in assists, finished with four total.

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com