The Michigan basketball team is playing without head coach Juwan Howard following his suspension for the final five games of the regular season due to his initiation of a fight with a Wisconsin assistant coach.
The Wolverines lost to Wisconsin by a final score of 63-77 on Feb. 20. According to CBS, Howard had a tense exchange with the Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard in the handshake line following the game.
“Gard’s decision to call timeout with 15 seconds left and the Badgers holding a 15-point lead is what sparked Howard’s ire,” said CBS Sports.
“I didn’t like the timeout they called; I’ll be totally honest,” Howard said. “I thought it was not necessary at that moment, especially with it being a large lead. … I thought that wasn’t fair to our guys.”
CNN reported that Gard grabbed Howard with his left hand before moving down the handshake line, preventing him from continuing down the line briefly. This, paired with his already tense atmosphere, seemed to trigger Howard and the two launched into an argument.
Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft stepped between the two, and Howard threw a punch at Krabbenhoft.
This sparked outrage among the players from both teams, as they got involved in the scuffle which consisted mostly of pushing and shoving from both players and staff.
This violated the Big Ten sportsmanship policy, which led to punishments for several involved.
“Big Ten Conference coaches and student-athletes are expected to display the highest level of sportsmanship conduct,” stated Commissioner Kevin Warren in his released statement. “I am grateful for the partnership with Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel and Wisconsin Athletics Director Chris McIntosh. Our expectation is that the incident yesterday will provide our coaches and student-athletes with the opportunity to reflect, learn and move forward in a manner that demonstrates decorum and leadership on and off of the court.”
The University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin worked in conjunction with the Big Ten. They imposed the following disciplinary actions: Howard, who initiated the fight, was suspended for five games which is the remainder of the regular season and was fined $40,000. Gard was fined $10,000 for his role in the initiation. Several students were reprimanded. Wisconsin player Jahcobi Neath was suspended for one game, which he served during their match-up against Minnesota on Feb. 23. From Michigan, Terrance Williams II and Moussa Diabate were both suspended for one game, causing them to sit out the game against Rutgers.
The players were able to resume play last weekend. Following the incident, Howard released a statement apologizing for his actions.
“After taking time to reflect on all that happened, I realize how unacceptable both my actions and words were and how they affected so many. I am truly sorry,” said Howard to CBS Sports. “I am offering my sincerest apology to my players and their families, my staff, my family, and the Michigan fans around the world. I would like to personally apologize to Wisconsin’s Assistant Coach Joe Krabbenhoft and his family, too.”