Michigan coach Juwan Howard reportedly threatened Maryland coach Mark Turgeon before being sent off during the second half of Friday’s Big Ten quarterfinals.
Maryland said at the conference that Howard said to Turgeon, “I’m fucking going to kill you,” InsideMDSports.com reported, citing an unidentified source.
No formal complaints were filed, according to the report. Howard is not to be disciplined, which means he will be the coach on Saturday in the semifinal against Ohio State.
The two coaches had to be separated by officials and other team members after a dispute between the banks broke out in the second half of the Wolverines’ 79-66 victory.
Turgeon told reporters that he preemptively called Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren about Michigan teasing his bank during two regular season bouts.
When it happened again on Friday, when Michigan crossed to victory, Turgeon said he “would not accept the third game. And then I defended my team, I defended myself. ”
He was charged with a technical foul, but continued to coach the game, while Howard was sent off after drawing two technical fouls.
Michigan freshman Hunter Dickinson spoke ill of the Maryland bank during a victory on New Year’s Eve, but the report states that Howard was also doing this, rather than restricting his players.
“We have incredibly passionate coaches, incredibly passionate players, incredibly passionate fans,” said Warren on the Big Ten Network. “As with all of these things, our office analyzes from the point of view of sports policy, what we did after the game. And there will be no more action. We feel that employees have dealt with the situation properly in court and have spread the situation. “
It looked like Howard was gesturing towards the Maryland bank to start the fight, but later he said he was trying to discuss a call with the officers when Turgeon said, “Juwan, I won’t let you talk to me! You don’t talk to me ever again! ”
Howard later told reporters, “I was raised by Grandma and Chicago. When a guy attacks you, you enter defense mode … When he attacks me, I reacted. “