“The person who reacts is the one who gets caught” – Jay Williams openly calls for Juwan Howard’s season-long suspension after he strikes Wisconsin assistant

Michigan Wolverines coach Juwan Howard has become the center of attention in NCAA men’s basketball, drawing a five-game suspension from the Big Ten on Monday evening.

After a disappointing road loss to the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday, Howard and Wisconsin coach Greg Gard exchanged heated words in the postgame handshake line. The tension escalated into a shoving match between the teams. Howard swung his right hand, striking Wisconsin assistant Joe Krabbenhoft on the left side of his head with an open hand.

Tempers flared after Michigan went to a full-court press against Wisconsin’s backups in the closing half-minute, despite trailing by a large margin. Gard then called a timeout with 15 seconds remaining and with a 15-point lead.

Earlier Monday on ESPN’s “Get Up,” basketball analyst Jay Williams said he believes Howard should be suspended for the rest of the season, including the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.

“I think Juwan Howard should be suspended for the rest of the season … and tournament play,” Williams said.

Williams said both parties are at fault for the situation. He said that even though Howard might have been “right” to call out the situation, his reaction was unnecessary. Plus, Williams said Howard has a history of this type of response.

“Most of the times in these situations, the person who reacts is the one that gets caught.”

Juwan Howard suspended for five games

The Big Ten on Monday suspended Michigan coach Juwan Howard for the final five games of the regular season and fined him $40,000 for hitting a Wisconsin assistant in the head Sunday.

The conference also suspended three players one game apiece for the altercation after the game: Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II and Wisconsin’s Jahcobi Neath. Diabate and Neath appeared to throw punches.

In addition, Wisconsin coach Greg Gard was fined $10,000 for violating the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy. He was not suspended.

Wisconsin won 77-63 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Howard can return to the sideline for the Big Ten tournament, which begins March 9 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Associate head coach Phil Martelli, who coached Saint Joseph’s from 1995-2019, will coach Michigan in Howard’s absence.

ESPN analyst Jay Williams said earlier Monday that Howard should be suspended for the postseason as well. But Howard will be eligible for March Madness if Michigan makes the tournament.

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It’s going to be interesting to see how Michigan performs without Howard for the rest of the season. Michigan (14-11) needs a strong finish to the year to cement a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Despite being a preseason top 10 team, Michigan has struggled.