MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Michigan coach Juwan Howard became upset after Wisconsin called a timeout in the closing seconds of a game the Badgers already had put out of reach.
The way Howard responded could have major ramifications on the rest of Michigan’s season.
Howard hit Wisconsin assistant Joe Krabbenhoft after arguing with Wisconsin coach Greg Gard during the handshake line following the Badgers’ 77-63 victory on Sunday. The Big Ten said it planned to “take swift and appropriate disciplinary action when it completes its review.”
During his postgame news conference, Howard said he didn’t like Wisconsin calling for a timeout with 15 seconds left and the Badgers leading by 15.
“I thought it was not necessary at the moment, especially being a large lead,” Howard said.
After the game, Howard pointed a finger at Gard. Later on, Howard reached through a crowd to get to Krabbenhoft — replays showed Howard no longer had a closed fist and had his hand open by the time he hit Krabbenhoft on the left side of his head.
Players from each side got involved in the skirmish, and video appeared to show Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Wisconsin’s Jahcobi Neath throwing punches.
Howard said he reacted after someone from Wisconsin put hands on him. Video showed Gard had his hands touching Howard’s arm or wrist area while trying to explain the reason for the timeout.
“I addressed with the head coach that I will remember that, because of the timeout,” Howard said. “Someone touched me, and I think it was very uncalled for, for them to touch me, as we were verbalizing and communicating with one another. That’s what escalated it.”
Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh said he already had contacted Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren about the situation, adding that Wisconsin had staff members who were “affected and injured.”
“There’s no room, no space for conduct like that in any competition, much less a Big Ten competition,” McIntosh said. “The Big Ten takes pride in sportsmanship. The Big Ten takes pride in acting with class. That didn’t happen today.”
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel issued a statement saying that he had apologized to McIntosh and that Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman had contacted Wisconsin Chancellor Rebecca Blank “to apologize for the totally unacceptable behavior.”
“There is no excuse for any of our staff or student-athletes to get into a physical altercation with others regardless of instigating factors,” Manuel said.
The Big Ten issued a statement saying it’s “aware of a physical altercation involving Michigan head coach Juwan Howard” and that it’s assessing the incident. Howard said he’d respect whatever decision the Big Ten makes.
“We will review the situation more thoroughly and work with the Big Ten Conference as they determine their disciplinary actions and will determine if further disciplinary actions are warranted,” Manuel said.
This isn’t Howard’s first high-profile incident with another Big Ten coach.
Last season, Howard got into a shouting match with then-Maryland coach Mark Turgeon during the conference tournament. Howard had to be restrained. He drew two technical fouls and was ejected from a game Michigan ended up winning 79-66.
Gard said he called the timeout because his reserves were in the game and only had four seconds to get the ball past midcourt. A timeout gives them 10 seconds.
“I was not going to put them in position, where the ball had already gotten knocked out of bounds, to have to break a press in four seconds,” Gard said.
Johnny Davis scored 25 points to help Wisconsin (21-5, 12-4) break open a close game. Wisconsin outscored Michigan 44-25 over the last 18 1/2 minutes.
Davis went on a personal 9-0 run and blocked a shot in a span of 2 minutes, 12 seconds to give the Badgers a 56-41 lead.
Hunter Dickinson scored 21 points for Michigan (14-11, 8-7), which shot just 4 of 25 from 3-point range. Eli Brooks had 14 points, and DeVante’ Jones finished with 11.
Steven Crowl scored 11 points for Wisconsin, and Brad Davison, Chucky Hepburn and Tyler Wahl added 10 each.
Wahl said nothing out of the ordinary occurred during the game that could have foretold what would happen afterward.
“I would say it was just a good 40-minute basketball game — physical game, Big Ten basketball,” Wahl said.
That all changed in the postgame handshake line.
HONORING FINLEY
Wisconsin raised former Badgers star Michael Finley’s No. 24 jersey to the rafters during a halftime ceremony. Wisconsin’s pep band wore white No. 24 T-shirts throughout the game.
Finley joins Ab Nicholas (No. 8) and Frank Kaminsky (No. 44) as the only Wisconsin players to have their jerseys in the rafters. Those three numbers are still able to be worn by current and future Badgers.
“It wasn’t something that I came to the university as a goal,” Finley said before the game. “My main focus was to win as many basketball games as I could, put the Wisconsin basketball program on the map, and whatever happened after that, happened.”
Finley, the first Badger to score 2,000 career points, played for Wisconsin from 1991-95 and led the 1994 team to the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 47 years. He played in the NBA from 1995-2010, won a title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 and earned two All-Star selections.
BIG PICTURE
Michigan: The Wolverines squandered an opportunity to boost their NCAA Tournament credentials and heard the Wisconsin crowd chanting “NIT” in the final seconds. But the bigger issue for now is the immediate future of Howard and what discipline he could be facing.
Wisconsin: Davis is the guy who could carry the Badgers on a deep postseason run, but the performances of Crowl and Hepburn also offer cause for encouragement.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
By following up a victory at Indiana with this home triumph over Michigan, Wisconsin should move up a few spots Monday as it tries to get back into the top 10.
UP NEXT
Michigan: Hosts Rutgers on Wednesday.
Wisconsin: At Minnesota on Wednesday.