McCaffery questions Hawkeyes' effort against Michigan - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

The Hawkeyes look to avoid an 0-3 start in the Big Ten when it hosts 22nd-ranked Michigan State on Thursday. Iowa is facing its third consecutive Top 25 opponent for the second year in a row and is just 1-4 against the Spartans under head coach Fran McCaffery.

Iowa's focus will be on improving its defense. The Hawkeyes fell apart late in the first half on Sunday against second-ranked Michigan. The Wolverines scored 66 points in the final 23 minutes of a 95-67 win.

McCaffery says he might reduce the playing time of leading scorers Devyn Marble and Aaron White to keep them fresher on both ends of the floor.

The coach questioned his teams toughness after the Michigan loss, and says the tape doesn't lie.

"You show it to them and then they have to make a decision. Don't have to rant and rave. Rant a little bit, but not too much. They got to look at it and justify to themselves and their teammates what they didn't do. I will never get on a guy for not doing something that he maybe isn't capable of doing. But you can run back on defense. If you're on a Division I scholarship, you better run back on defense, and we didn't do that. That's really disappointing," said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery.

The Spartans are 12-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. Iowa is 11-4. That game starts at 6 o'clock Thursday on ESPN 2.