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Wisconsin 77, Michigan 63
NOTE: The part of the column that appears before the jump will not discuss the Juwan situation. It was written before the incident happen and was a holistic narrative that I didn't want to mess with. The brawl will be buried after the jump.
In modern basketball, it's pretty hard to win when you do absolutely nothing from three for the entire game. It's even harder when you can't do anything from the field for a ten minute stretch of a forty minute game. It's nearly impossible if you have no defensive answer for the other team's best player. All of those things happened today to Michigan basketball, and unsurprisingly, the Wolverines came up short in Madison today by a final score of 77-63. The Maize & Blue shot 16.0% from three on 25 attempts, endured a stretch of 9.5 minutes in the second half where just one field goal went down, and allowed Johnny Davis to post 25 points, scoring at ease. Not a winning recipe.
The first half was a visually distressing segment that saw both teams be ice cold from beyond the arc. In lieu of efficient three point shooting, both teams decided to focus their offense in the paint early on, with the first twenty four points being scored in the paint. It was not until nearly ten minutes into the contest that the first points came outside of it, a two-point jumper that put Wisconsin up 14-12. Michigan started hot offensively, feeding Dickinson in the post, but then the offense dried up over a 2/12 stretch that spanned much of the middle of the first half. With 7:06 to go, it was 21-16 Wisconsin and Michigan had five turnovers to just one forced.
Play continued along at this pace, with both teams concentrating inside, though the Badgers began to mix in the dreaded mid-range jumper against Michigan's shorter guards. The threes continued to be literally non-existent, with the first one from either team coming when there were just two minutes remaining in the first half. That was a Caleb Houstan three that trimmed the Badger lead to 27-26 Wisconsin, close to the eventual halftime margin of 31-31. At the break Michigan was 1/10 from three and Wisconsin was 0/6. Both teams were around 50% from two, with Dickinson leading Michigan at 15 points on 6/10 from the floor. The Badgers were led by Johnny Davis, Chucky Hepburn, and Tyler Wahl, each scoring in high single figures.
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Hunter was the lone bright spot on offense in the first half [David Wilcomes]
Michigan came out hot out of the break, allowing a Wisconsin score on the opening possession but then going on a quick 7-0 run that forced a timeout from Greg Gard, featuring a Dickinson thunderdunk, an Eli Brooks transition three, and then a steal setting up a Brooks layup bucket. 38-33 Michigan. Unfortunately, it proved to be the last happy sequence for the Wolverines in the game, as the Badgers would then embark on a 23-3 run (!!!!) spanning ten minutes of action. Over that stretch, Michigan's lone bucket was an Eli Brooks jumper, and they got one other point from Moussa Diabate on a free throw.
The story of the long Wisconsin run was a thoroughly maddening one. At one end of the floor, the Wolverines missed three pointer after three pointer, and almost all of which were wide open, completely uncontested looks. It didn't matter who took them, be it DeVante' Jones or Houstan or Brooks, they all clanged off the iron. Juwan Howard schemed open looks with ease and the shots just didn't fall, much like last weekend's game against Ohio State. On the other end of the floor, Wisconsin let Johnny Davis turn it on, at one point scoring 11 of the team's last 13 points during a sequence that stretched the Badger lead from 43-39 to 56-41. Eli Brooks was toasted repeatedly, and no other players provided much of an answer either. Davis showcased NBA talent and with Diabate in foul trouble, Michigan was hung out to dry without an NBA-caliber wing defender.
By the time the run was over, so was the game, for all intents and purposes. Once the lead was stretched up to 15, it stayed in that range for the remainder of the contest, occasionally stretching up towards 17, and sometimes narrowing to 10, but never again competitive. A few more Michigan threes fell, but the damage was done. Wisconsin made a few threes in this period too, to finally break their schneid. The final seconds ran off the clock, and Wisconsin had won it 77-63.
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Michigan didn't have Franz to guard Johnny Davis this year [Marc-Gregor Campredon]
I don't think we learned anything about the Wolverines today that we didn't already know. We knew they struggled shooting the three, and were prone to games where nothing drops. That happened today. We knew they struggle against athletic wings who can drive past Houstan and shoot over Brooks. That happened today. It's a loss that would have been a lot closer if Michigan shot its season average (would've been a two point loss instead of fifteen), but the Davis matchup was probably going to do the Wolverines in regardless.
The good news is that this was not a win Michigan needed. They wanted to win one this week, and they got that one in Iowa City on Thursday night. They now sit 8-7 and would like to go 3-2 over the final five, four of which are at home. Two big ones are coming up this week against Rutgers and Illinois at Crisler. Absolutely have to win one to keep pace in the bubble chase, and winning both would do wonders to solidify the tourney case. The Rutgers game is on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM EST. It is scheduled to be on BTN.
[AFTER THE JUMP: The Brawl]
So, after the game concluded, this happened:
Juwan Howard throws a punch. pic.twitter.com/HiC3y7yKvG
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) February 20, 2022
Yeah.
The incident that spawned this mess was a timeout taken by Wisconsin coach Greg Gard with fifteen seconds left. Wisconsin's bench scrubs had botched the preceding possession, resulting in a steal and a quick layup by DeVante' Jones. That trimmed the score to 76-61. The charitable take (and perhaps most rational one) is that Gard wanted to use that timeout to instill fundamentals into his seldom-used players after a clunky sequence. The take that probably permeated the Michigan sideline is that Gard took the timeout to prolong a game that he was already winning solidly.
It is true that taking a timeout in a blowout game that only has fifteen seconds left generally is considered to be what baseball players would call "bush league". That said, even if it was done to be an asshole move prolonging Michigan's painful loss (which I don't believe it was), that reaction from the Michigan sideline is not appropriate, unless something was said by Gard during the start of the altercation that we are not aware of.
If you sincerely believe Gard took the timeout to disrespect Michigan's players and rub it in (which again, I don't think was the case), I have no problem saying "hey that wasn't cool, dude" when you shake hands. Defending the players is the job of the coach. But it can't last more than 15-30 seconds and it can't get physical. Throwing hands with the other team's coaching staff is not defending the players, and it does nothing to help your team. The job of the coach is to manage personalities, draw up strategy, make decisions, defend your players, and especially at the college level, be a leader and mature figure in the room. Starting a brawl is not leadership, any more than it was not leadership when Woody Hayes decked Charlie Bauman in 1978. You do not want your coach to be Sonny Corleone when the situation gets heated.
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Welp [MG Campredon]
Now we stew on what happens next. A suspension of some length is coming, and Warde Manuel will have a decision. I don't have a take on what that decision should be because I think we ought to take a day or two to let things simmer down, hear the explanations, and let things go from there. Between the Mark Turgeon incident in the BTT last year and now this, it's not a sustainable situation. Things have to change, either who the coach of Michigan is or the coach's behavior. Coaches can change (think of Harbaugh before and after he decided that taking 15 yard penalties for going crazy was bad for the team), but a public commitment to change feels like a prerequisite to Howard staying on.
Regardless of what happens, it makes the remainder of this Michigan Basketball season interesting, but also disappointing. The team has played better as of late, and now we have to spend time talking about this and not the players. That's the greatest disservice of all committed by Howard today, not that the fight looks bad on TV.
February 20th, 2022 at 3:51 PM ^
Wait and hear the explanations?! What is this? 2002? Public outrage is the only legitimate response.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
February 20th, 2022 at 4:12 PM ^
Sometimes the leaders and best should throw punches at assholes to overtake that ass. I love everyone putting on airs, like, “Oh, my stars.” I also like that the players would throw down for Juwan if needed. Shows something. I’m proud to be a Michigan Wolverine today.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:23 PM ^
No. Head coaches don't throw punches - period.
I can't believe there are people defending his actions today. A head coach CANNOT engage in violence.
I love Juwan Howard, but I can't defend him today.
Fire him, or lengthy suspension with mandatory anger management training.
It simply doesn't matter what was said/done by others - Juwan Howard is responsible for his actions today.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:53 PM ^
And what about Gard grabbing and jabbing at Howard because he was soooo offended about not getting a handshake. College coaches sure seem to love forgetting that Howard is not infact one of their own players they can manhandle and talk down to as they please. Might want to think about why they keep doing this.
February 20th, 2022 at 5:36 PM ^
yeah, that was not cool at all. that said, Juwan and Gard had long been separated when Juwan lunged forward to grab? (it was not a punch - was entirely open handed) Krabbenhofts face. That also didn't need to happen and a slap/grab is worse.
Had Juwan just backed away, we'd be appropriately talking about how Gard shouldn't have done that and Joe Krabbenhoft is a trolling PoS, which he is, but Juwan didn't need to one up them and make himself the bigger story.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:45 PM ^
Gard grabbed Juwan's arm and placed a hand on his chest, which catalyzed the incident--Juwan was asking him to just let him pass. But Juwan's blow to Krabbenhoft will be the story of the day, and to some extent rightly. Krabbenhoft was screaming at T Will, and I think that was the straw for Juwan, but Juwan's going to have to take the L for going off. I don't think he gets fired, but he's going to be on a short string now, forever. All of the old shitty narratives, the racist narratives, the excuses to hate on Michigan, the Fab V, all get bundled with this. It's a sad, sad day.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:45 PM ^
“To some extent”? Even Bob Knight didn’t take a swing at an opposing coach. Now when everyone comes down on Juwan, and rightfully so, it will be chalked up to racism in your mind. The only thing black and white about this situation is the fact that every college coach - even Woody- who has ever taken a swing at an opposing player or coach has been fired. This would even be a no-brained for an AD at a trash SEC program. Standards are standards, no matter who you are.
February 20th, 2022 at 10:50 PM ^
Nah, I didn't say the incident involved racism--you can read better than that. I said the old history, which included racism, would be part of the piling on, of a big ugly ball of wax that would come with it. Have a look around the internet tonight; have a look at the kind of ugly that's been thrown at Coach Howard over at RCMB from the moment of his hiring. Some of it openly racist.
We'll see about whether he's fired. I'd like to watch the Wisconsin assistant screaming at T Will--or see what he was doing with his hands--from where Juwan stood.
February 20th, 2022 at 10:39 PM ^
Juwan was asking him to just let him pass.
It was more than that. Juwan told him, "I'll remember that shit" - about that timeout, apparently.
I love Juwan but he was in the wrong here.
February 20th, 2022 at 11:24 PM ^
And that strikes you as pretty terrible? You must be pretty virtuous yourself. I mean, he's PO'd--he just wants to move on. The guy grabs his arm, then puts his hand on his chest in a totally patronizing way. He tells him not to do that. He tries to move to the side. Three W assistants are pushing his players. Nope, you can't lash out. But there certainly are mitigating circumstances; I'm ashamed by some of you wusses who don't even have enough affection or pride to want to figure the thing the f out. You do you, though. The line with the lemmings and the lynch mob is always the longer one at first.
February 20th, 2022 at 11:35 PM ^
Krabbenhoft also shoved Faulds and put his hands on Williams before Howard's reaction.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:34 PM ^
What Gard did was like a 2-3 on a scale of 1-10. It wasn’t cool, but it shouldn’t have led to smacking a guy in the face. Gard wasn’t very aggressive in this situation. Juwan crossed the line in a big way today, and is on par with Woody Hayes.
February 20th, 2022 at 11:38 PM ^
Again, Howard swiped at the assistant after he shoved Faulds and then grabbed Williams. And absolutely not, Hayes straight clocked a player out of the blue, literally no heated argument ot scrum even taking place, just out of the blue. Howard lost his cool in scrum that had turned very heated at that point, they are not remotely comparable.
February 21st, 2022 at 9:48 AM ^
Gard deserves blame for provoking the incident, no doubt, and he should be disciplined for his role in fomenting this. That does not take away from the fact that what Howard did was worse – significantly worse. His role as a coach is to develop young players into whole athletes, and that includes sportsmanship in addition to ball-handling and shooting skills. Howard failed badly on that front.
My opinion about appropriate punishment is irrelevant, but Ward Manuel certainly has a mess on his hands and is going to need to act decisively to protect the reputation of Michigan Athletics. It’s a sad day.
February 21st, 2022 at 4:42 AM ^
We are seldom the leaders and rarely the best. And wasn't that line written when we the the chief renegade program of the Western Conference?
Fire Howard, maybe Ellerbe can come back in and help us with with dignity again.
February 20th, 2022 at 8:56 PM ^
Wow, I go to vacay in Maui and all hell breaks loose...
February 20th, 2022 at 3:53 PM ^
Bush league works. Then escalation by Gard. Then escalation by Joe Krabbenhoft. Just watch Terrance Williams face as Krabbenhoft tries to get to Juwan. It is clear that is what set it all off.
Juwan should do better, but he tried to walk away twice before he fell for it.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:00 PM ^
I don't know what Juwan's fate will be. I think his biggest sin is that he put his kids at risk. Not just for injury but also for the career given the judgements that people often tack on these things.
But for the record, Krabbenhoft should be selling Kias next year too because if he doesn't stick his mug in there this thing is done.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:36 PM ^
Kias? Why would he do that when he could hang out with his rich dad? :)
No comment on Howard. I still haven't seen a clip. I'm hoping some bored MGoBlogger reconstructs it piece-by-piece with lip reading.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:40 PM ^
Sounds like he needs a good whack across the face as well.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:40 PM ^
Williams also takes a punch, which is what Diabate was responding to. Then watch that WI player sprint away.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:59 PM ^
Fell for it? He wasn’t tricked by a damn leprechaun. The amount of unbridled excuse making in the comment is ridiculous. If any other coach in the country did this 100% of this board would think they should be fired.
February 20th, 2022 at 3:55 PM ^
Embarrassing. Should be dismissed immediately.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:10 PM ^
I’m just upset that this event now gives these blue hairs an out to wanting to fire Howard since they’ve never been on board with him as coach in the first place. Disappointed Juwan gave them that viable excuse.
February 20th, 2022 at 6:52 PM ^
I still wear black Nike socks when exercising, 30 years after it became cool. Juwan Howard was and is a huge hero of mine and a big piece of my youth. I’m a youngish man. My hair is black with quite a bit of grey. No blue. I was thrilled to have him coach the team.
He should be fired. You can’t throw hands.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:49 PM ^
Stupid take. You’ve gotta be better than this in real life, right?
February 20th, 2022 at 10:15 PM ^
Man you are delusional. Blue hairs? Not necessary.
There is no question he should be fired. None.
He got physical first, grabbed Gard by the shirt first and stuck his finger in his face.... and then threw a punch.
I don't know about you but someone sticking their finger in my face pisses me off. That is an act of aggression.
I've been a Michigan fan for a long time but this basketball team is over.
Juwan will be gone. T-Will will not play this year at least. Moussa will not play this year and then try to go pro. Brooks, Hunter. and Jones are gone. Houstan will probably not play this year and then transfer because Juwan is gone and also he will look at the team and see there is not much left to try to build his game.
Juwan blew the whole team up with this disgrace. I'm pissed at him.
February 20th, 2022 at 10:36 PM ^
You are 100 percent mistaken about Juwan getting physical first. Gard grabbed his arm and got in his way as Juwan was trying to walk past in him the handshake line:
Only after this did Juwan grab his shirt and put his finger in his face to say "don't touch me." That part was a mostly justified response to Gard grabbing him and getting in his face.
And then the whole thing was de-escalating when Krabbenhoft broke through his fellow assistants to come at Juwan and his players.
It was absolutely unacceptable for Juwan to react to that the way he did but to act like 1) Gard didn't initiate physical contact (he did) and 2) they didn't instigate which the AD claimed, is just false.
Both can be true. Wisconsin instigated and Juwan responded completely inappropriately.
I am furious at Juwan for that as well.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:45 PM ^
Your spelling is embarrassing. You do not know the specifics of what occurred. And yes, Juwan's actions are not excused in any event but until you get an accounting of what occurred and what was said, you should not be making judgments.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:48 PM ^
For what it’s worth, you’re right. You’re only being downvoted because you dare to expect the university leadership to stick to its own standards.
February 21st, 2022 at 6:27 AM ^
Depends what the wisconsin coach yelled at TWill to be honest, if he said stfu bitch or something i would say give Juwan a month off and anger management or something. Yes, what he did was wrong absolutely, but depending exactly what was said and done by Wisconsin, could be forgiveable.
February 20th, 2022 at 3:55 PM ^
A coach throwing a punch is bad period. Could have had a verbal altercation and made the point whatever it was when your team is playing bad. I didn’t see the game but this team just has not looked well coached all season. How they beat Purdue by 24 is beyond me.
Hunter and Eli must be wondering why they came back
I like Juwan but personally I think he has to be fired. You can’t tolerate this as a program.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:13 PM ^
If you knew anything about college basketball you’d know that just about every team is capable of winning any game by 24 or losing one by 24. It happens.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:34 PM ^
It really, really bugs me that people are combining this incident with a critique of the team's play this year and Howard's coaching ability.
FFS, the man was COY LAST YEAR, and the team is 7-3 in its last 10 games. They just beat Iowa on the road. If you don't see improvement you're not watching; the team was an incompetent mess earlier in the year and has improved immensely.
What Howard did today was terrible. Awful. It may well cost him his job. That decision has absolutely nothing to do with his or the team's performance outside his inability to manage his emotions.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:53 PM ^
That’s the sad part about all of this. I’ve really enjoyed the last 10 games. The team was coming along. A four-game homestand awaits. But the selfish decision by A HEAD COACH to slap an opposing assistant and trigger a skirmish that will probably lead to some of our players being suspended along with him likely signals the end of that frantic chase for a bid to the Big Dance.
February 20th, 2022 at 7:11 PM ^
UM has just had games this year where they generate open looks and just can't buy a make. This one was one those games. Not sure how its coaching when you are generating good looks that just aren't being made.
February 20th, 2022 at 3:55 PM ^
Wisky's coach put his hands on him first. If Howard apologized immediately then I think he just gets suspended. He was not remorseful. Did not take responsibility in the presser. I think there's a real chance he gets fired. I don't think he will, it's probably 80/20.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Gard definitely escalated this. He absolutely has no right to put his hands on Howard then or any other time. No, it’s not nearly as serious as punch, and yet none of this happens if he kept his hands to himself
February 20th, 2022 at 4:39 PM ^
There were a lot of chances on all sides to de-escalate.
I buy that Gard wanted to explain the timeout and frankly, Gard had reason to be angry with Juwan when he took the timeout. Juwan had starters out there pressing the Wisconsin walk-ons. How can you get angry about a timeout when you're doing that?
That said, when Juwan wasn't having it, Gard needs to step aside and let it go. Give him a call afterwards and explain it.
But ultimately, striking an opposing coach was unacceptable from a head coach in that situation. And yes, Krabbenhoft should be suspended as well. He got in there for no reason other than to troll and instigate. Sad that Juwan took the bait.
Makes me sick. The team had been playing well, was still in perfectly good position to make the tournament and have a nice finish to the season. Now, the HC is probably done for the season, players will be suspended. What a shame.
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Gard definitely escalated this. He absolutely has no right to put his hands on Howard then or any other time. No, it’s not nearly as serious as punch, and yet none of this happens if he kept his hands to himself
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Gard definitely escalated this. He absolutely has no right to put his hands on Howard then or any other time. No, it’s not nearly as serious as punch, and yet none of this happens if he kept his hands to himself
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Gard definitely escalated this. He absolutely has no right to put his hands on Howard then or any other time. No, it’s not nearly as serious as punch, and yet none of this happens if he kept his hands to himself
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Gard definitely escalated this. He absolutely has no right to put his hands on Howard then or any other time. No, it’s not nearly as serious as punch, and yet none of this happens if he kept his hands to himself
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Gard definitely escalated this. He absolutely has no right to put his hands on Howard then or any other time. No, it’s not nearly as serious as punch, and yet none of this happens if he kept his hands to himself
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Gard definitely escalated this. He absolutely has no right to put his hands on Howard then or any other time. No, it’s not nearly as serious as punch, and yet none of this happens if he kept his hands to himself
February 20th, 2022 at 5:12 PM ^
Does anyone think Gard escalated this or does he have a right to put his hands on Howard?
February 20th, 2022 at 9:05 PM ^
I think you're escalating this
February 20th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Gard definitely escalated this. He absolutely has no right to put his hands on Howard then or any other time. No, it’s not nearly as serious as punch, and yet none of this happens if he kept his hands to himself
February 20th, 2022 at 4:14 PM ^
I think. I get. The point.
No, I don't think you do.
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