Michigan coach Juwan Howard comforted Tennessee freshman Kennedy Chandler in the seconds after the Wolverines’ upset win over the Volunteers on Saturday in the men’s NCAA tournament.
No.11 Michigan came back in the second half to beat the No.3 Vols, 76-68, in the second round of the South Region and advance to the Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive tournament despite Chandler’s best efforts.The freshman guard led Tennessee with 19 points and was the Volunteers’ dominant player in the second half before Tennessee went on a late scoring drought that helped Michigan climb back into the game.
Not long after the upset was official, Chandler broke down in tears in the postgame handshake line.Howard was there to console him.
After the game, @umichbball Head Coach Juwan Howard comforted Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler.pic.twitter.com/RHTLTdK3Xy
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 20, 2022
If anyone knows how a crushing NCAA tournament loss feels, it’s Howard.He was a member of Michigan’s famed Fab Five that lost in the 1993 national championship game to North Carolina after teammate Chris Webber was assessed a technical foul for calling a timeout that Michigan didn’t have available.
The moment between Howard and Chandler in the handshake line also comes weeks after Howard was suspended for the final five games of Michigan’s regular season for his role in an altercation with Wisconsin’s coaching staff.
Howard hit Wisconsin assistant Joe Krabbenhoft atop the head with an open palm during the altercation and was also fined $40,000 in addition to the suspension.
Michigan then lost its first game with Howard back in charge to Indiana in the Big Ten tournament to enter the NCAA tournament at 17-14.Now Michigan is heading to the Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive tournament and the second time under Howard.
Michigan coach Juwan Howard comforted Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler after the Wolverines beat the Volunteers in the NCAA tournament on Saturday.(Via CBS).
