Michigan basketball is embracing national disrespect

Michigan basketball is coming off one of the worst seasons in recent program history — the Wolverines still finished above .500 on the year, yet were bounced in the second round of the NIT by Vanderbilt despite having reasonably high expectations coming into the year. Now, heading into the fifth season of the Juwan Howard era in Ann Arbor, stars like Jace Howard and more are embracing the national disrespect that has been thrown the Wolverines’ way from within the Big Ten Conference and beyond.

Michigan basketball is embracing national disrespect

The Big Ten Conference, per usual, is a close battle between a number of teams right now. That said, unlike many recent years, Michigan basketball is not being considered a top contender for the conference title and an NCAA tournament berth — both things that the Wolverines are quite familiar with under Juwan Howard.

While Howard’s first few seasons were all solid, even claiming an outright Big Ten Championship and an Elite Eight appearance in 2020-21, it is clear that the program has been in decline as of late. Heading into the coming season, Michigan has been ranked 11th (of 14 teams) in the conference by the media — it is disrespect that the Wolverines are embracing right now.

“Obviously, we see it (the rankings and national talk), but we’re not focusing on it, because we know that our best basketball is ahead of us,” Jace Howard said at Big Ten Media Days. “We just know that we’re gonna be that team that — everybody has a chip on their shoulder on this team, we’re embracing that. You can feel it in our practices; you can feel it with our energy in the locker room. And it’s positive. It’s nothing negative.”

Howard adds more on the Wolverines

Howard, the son of head coach Juwan Howard, also says that Michigan basketball is looking to take on a scrappy identity this year. The Wolverines are coming to play every game for all 40 minutes, and there will be no time off for the Maize and Blue as they look to right the ship.

“It’s like, ‘Yo, we’re here. We’re here to make a mark, and we’re here to stand.’ They are 40-minute games, and they’re going to have to play us for 40 minutes,” he said. “Every team has about 33 games or something like that, 30 games, and those games, it’s going to be a fight.”

Michigan basketball will begin its 2023-24 season early next month with an exhibition against Northwood (MI) before hosting UNC Asheville later that same week.

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