Juwan Howard updates Jett Howard's injury status
Michigan wing Jett Howard missed his second game this year with an ankle injury, though Thursday night’s at Rutgers (a 58-45 U-M win) was the result of a right ankle turn … not the left ankle that kept him out of a home game with Purdue weeks ago. Howard didn’t rush back from that one, and his dad, Michigan head coach Juwan Howard, insisted they wouldn’t hurry him back from this one, either.
The Wolverines played well without him but could have used his scoring in the game.
RELATED: Passion, energy at Rutgers put NCAA Tourney within reach for Michigan
RELATED: Rapid reaction: Observations following a 58-45 Michigan win at Rutgers
“If you know Mr. Miyagi [from “The Karate Kid”], please send him our way so we can get his ankle healthy,” Juwan Howard quipped in the postgame. “I’m not going to rush him back. His health is No. 1.”
Jett Howard would have played against the Boilermakers if they’d let him, the Michigan coach continued.
“I’ll be frank with you guys … back when he injured his ankle before the Purdue game, he was playing on a bum ankle,” Juwan Howard said. “He rushed back. He wanted to play in the Purdue game … I didn’t let him. Then he came back the game after, he rushed back, but that’s because he wanted to be out there with his teammates.
“Same goes for today [at Rutgers] — he wanted to play. I’m going to play him when he’s healthy enough to play.”
The younger Howard turned his ankle when he came down on a defender’s foot after making a jumper in an 84-72 win over Michigan State.
Associate head coach Phil Martelli provided and update before the game. Michigan didn’t practice the Sunday after MSU, and Jett Howard received treatment Monday and Tuesday without practicing.
“He’s upright,” Martelli said when asked about Howard’s status. “His movement has improved each day. His body language is much brighter than other times when he’s been injured, but still nothing where you’d say, ‘He’s full go’ or anything like that. [He is] not ready for that yet.”
Howard is Michigan’s second leading scorer, averaging 14.4 points per game, and is one of the team’s primary three-point threats, having made 37 percent from long range.
Michigan next faces Wisconsin at home Sunday.
