WATCH: Juwan Howard talks Dug McDaniel's status, reflects on Michigan's season so far, previews Purdue, more
Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Juwan Howard met with the media Friday afternoon ahead of his team’s game against Purdue Sunday at Crisler Center. Watch video of Howard’s press conference in the player at the top of the screen or on our YouTube channel.
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Michigan fell at Northwestern Thursday night in Evanston, 76-62, getting dominated in the second half. The Wolverines were short-handed, though, without redshirt sophomore forward Will Tschetter (illness), sophomore starting point guard Dug McDaniel (road game suspension) and assistant coach Howard Eisley (illness). Most notably, graduate forward Olivier Nkamhoua is out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on his left wrist.
Howard liked the way his team battled at Northwestern. Michigan has four regular season games left, and the roster is a bit depleted, but Howard wants his Wolverines to continue to compete.
“What I saw last night is exactly what any coach would really appreciate. When you have a team where it’s late in the season and you have injuries and guys being down because of having the flu bug or teams just mentally just out of it because they’re so competitive and the record doesn’t show exactly where you want to be as far as having a chance and an opportunity to be one of the top teams in our league.
“But the level of competitiveness that I saw last night, I appreciate that — I really do — as a coach. I really respect the guys for how they competed last night, from start to finish with their attitude, their commitment and intention to detail and then, at the same time, having played a very good team on the road, giving the effort that they gave. I really respect them so much, and I thanked everyone, including the staff.”
Howard was asked if Tschetter was out with the flu, to which the Michigan coach replied, “Yes.”
“The flu has been going around our team; it’s been spreading like wildfire,” Howard said. “You can just do whatever you can to try to help keep them safe — always by washing your hands, taking your vitamins. At the same time, getting the proper rest because we gotta keep those immune systems strong to try to fight off the virus.”
