Michigan head coach Juwan Howard suspended for rest of regular season for fight, per reports

MADISON, Wis. — The University of Michigan is suspending head men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard for the rest of the regular season following Sunday’s altercation with Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard and other Wisconsin assistant coaches, according to media reports.

Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel was the first to report the suspension. The Wolverines have five more games left on their schedule before the Big Ten tournament begins next month.

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reports that Howard could also be fined.

The University of Michigan has yet to officially confirm the suspension. It is possible more suspensions — including some for those involved on the Wisconsin side — could be handed down by the Big Ten.

The altercation started during the post-game handshake line, when Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard says he stopped Michigan head coach Juwan Howard to try to explain why he took a late timeout in the game even though the Badgers were winning by a large margin.

Gard put his hand on Howard’s elbow in an attempt to prevent him from walking past him without saying anything, to which Howard said he responded by telling Gard not to touch him.

The incident then escalated, with Howard yelling at Gard and Badgers staff while also grabbing hold of Gard’s shirt. As a scrum between both benches started in an attempt to pull everyone apart, some punches were thrown between players, and Howard was seen slapping Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft.

Earlier Monday, officials with the UW-Madison Police Department told News 3 Now that no criminal charges or citations would be filed over the incident, and that they would let the universities and the Big Ten handle any discipline.

This is not the first time in which Howard has found himself in a physical argument with another Big Ten coach. He was ejected during Michigan’s first game in last year’s Big Ten tournament after getting into an altercation with then-Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon.

Michigan’s athletic director issued a statement Sunday night, saying there was no excuse for the physical altercation with Gard and the Wisconsin staff, and apologizing to Wisconsin officials.