Julio Cortez / Associated Press
Maryland alleges that Juwan Howard, head coach for men in basketball, in Michigan, Mark Turgeon, threatened to kill Terrapins’ head coach during their verbal altercation in Friday’s Big Ten tournament.
The Terrapins told the Big Ten that Howard shouted, “I’ll kill you,” when the two coaches yelled at each other, Jeff Ermann of 247Sport. Howard was defeated 79-66 by Michigan over the incident.
“It lasted all three games,” Turgeon said. “I’ve been doing this for 34 years and I called the conference office. I called the commissioner about what happened in the first two games. And I said I’m not going to take it the third game. And so I stood for my team, I stood up for myself. ‘
Ermann noted that Maryland complained about how Howard made disrespectful remarks to the team’s bench during their regular seasonal meetings. The Terps also said freshmen Hunter Dickinson teased their bench.
Howard explains to reporters what happened from his point of view:
“(Mark) Turgeon saw I was out of the box, he tells the referee to look at my feet. I’m out of the box, I’m like, come on man, this is what we do today? You’re worried that my feet are out of the box? Then he said to me, “Juwan, I’m not going to let you talk to me. You will never talk to me again.” And he asks me.
“I do not know how you were raised, but how I was raised by my grandmother and also by Chicago. I was raised by Chicago, I grew up on the South Side. If guys charge you, it’s time to defend yourself. “
Assistant Phil Martelli, former head coach of Saint Joseph’s, took over for the Wolverines after Howard was sacked.
Michigan will face rival Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament’s first semifinal on Saturday. It will likely leave a No. 1 series in the Big Dance, no matter how it performs against the Buckeyes, who beat it in their only game in the regular season.