Juwan Howard provides Jett Howard injury update

The Michigan basketball program hit a potential setback on Sunday when a Jett Howard injury chased the team’s second-leading scorer from a win over Minnesota.

Coach Juwan Howard provided an update on his son’s status on Wednesday.

“He’s going through the rehab treatment,” Howard explained. “In Jett’s mind he’s saying he’s going to play, but it’s all about the health. Health is more important than any game. We want to have a healthy Jett out there instead of a guy who’s hobbling.”

Jett is second on the team in scoring with 14.6 points per game. He’s also been responsible for 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest.

Whether he’s available on Thursday against No. 1 Purdue remains to be seen, with Michigan describing the status on Jett Howard’s injury as day to day.

“He just wants to be there to help his team because that’s how he’s wired mentally,” Howard explained. “He’s also a competitor and he wants to win. He feels that when he’s not playing he’s not helping the team, so the key is just continuing to go through the rehab treatment and just try to help him get healthy.

“When I see that he’s ready to go health-wise, then that’s when he’ll be ready to play. And I’m not saying that’s going to be next game, I don’t know when it’s going to be.”

Juwan Howard praises Kobe Bufkin

Guard Kobe Bufkin has found his footing as a starter, and head coach Juwan Howard was quite happy with how he responded to adversity this season.

After Michigan‘s victory Sunday over Minnesota, Howard told reporters about how Bufkin dealt with early season struggles to find and establish his role on the team.

“The first few games of the season, it was like the end of the world,” Howard said. “Give him credit, he just stayed the course, kept believing and trusting in the system and also understanding that it’s a long year, and he’s a big part of it.”

Bufkin scored double digits only once during the first five games of the season. But since Michigan’s first conference game in December, Butkin has been playing a high level.

He is averaging 13.8 points per game on 51.3% from the field and 36.1% from beyond the arc over that stretch.