Juwan Howard sees plenty of room for growth early in the season

Michigan is off to a 1-0 start this basketball season, which is head coach Juwan Howard’s fourth since taking the job ahead of the eventual COVID-marred 2020 year. And his group in 2022-23 is shaping up to be another tourney team and Big Ten contender. They kicked their season off on Monday along with roughly 280 other teams and did so with a win over Purdue Fort Wayne, 75-56.

Hard to make sweeping takeaways from the first game of the year, especially against a lesser opponent at home — although, Howard’s son Jett looked excellent all preseason and then in the opener. He may really be something. But overall, Howard was just happy to be back on the court and loves the attitude he’s seen from this group.

Here he was after the game, discussing his team being locked in and having plenty of room for growth throughout the season:

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“Well you’re not where you want to be, you know. It’s so early in the season. You know, this is only our first game and there is room for growth and we’re going to continue to keep getting better.

“There’s areas that we’re going to try to clean up, but I love where our mindset is. And, you know, our guys are really dialed in and in tune to being an elite level group. And I love how they were so connected. I just hope that continues throughout the year like the first game. And I’m sure we’re going to hit a rough patch. Pretty much the vast majority of college basketball teams do. But it’s how we’re going to react when we have those uncomfortable moments.”

Juwan Howard isn’t ready to leap over the moon after a 19-point win over last year’s Horizon League champ. He knows the real battles are on the way, and how his team reacts when they are pushed up against a wall is what he’s curious to find out. Still, though, a lot to like in the opener, especially regarding the togetherness of the team.