Juwan Howard threatened to start walk-ons, while Tarris Reed Jr. discussed faith in God during Michigan’s 69-59 Rutgers collapse.The Michigan Wolverines lost in a game that decided last place in the Big Ten, winning the trophy they didn’t want. The game showcased Michigan’s struggles, with turnovers and turnovers highlighting the season’s microcosm.
According to Juwan Howard, it’s a problem of pride.
Howard believes pride and a mindset to perform well are crucial for stopping bleeding. However, he saw doubt on the court, which can lead to compound mistakes when the ball isn’t going in for the team, forgetting defensive strategies, and scoring when a team scores.Michigan’s 69-59 loss against Rutgers, which decided last place in the Big Ten, was a result of pride and lack of stops. Juwan Howard, the head coach, believes that pride is the key to stopping the bleeding and promoting a mindset to play hard. However, he also sees doubt in the team’s defensive end and scoring ability. Howard wants his team to take pride, get stops, and leave doubt at the door. However, it’s difficult for anyone to take pride when their team sits at the bottom of the standings and every game follows the same script. Pride could have been the solution two months ago against Oregon and Indiana or a month ago against Minnesota before these losses had sequels to rival the Fast & Furious franchise.
Pride can be a solution to a team’s problems, but it can also hinder significant changes. Michigan’s pride has led to a struggling defense and a patchwork approach to recruiting grad transfers. Howard’s pride issues may stem from his lack of answers and the team’s current position at the bottom. Despite this, Howard is used to leading the charge and highlighting the progress his system has made.
Elite Eight. Sweet Sixteen. “The shit works,” Howard put it bluntly.
Michigan’s current roster is struggling, with a team that was never expected to be a Tournament team. The Wolverines consistently struggle, losing games and feeling divided. While pride may help reduce turnovers and offensive rebounds, it won’t make the team passable. The time for pride has run out, and until Michigan makes serious changes, words won’t matter. The team needs to break out of this script and improve their performance.
