Michigan starter Terrance Williams II out of the lineup against Michigan State
Michigan Wolverines basketball is set to take on Michigan State Saturday night at Crisler Center (8 p.m. ET on FOX), and it’ll be without senior starting forward Terrance Williams II, the team’s top sharpshooter.
A team spokesman told TheWolverine.com that Williams is out with an illness.
Junior guard Jace Howard and sophomore guard Youssef Khayat are listed as questionable. Both missed the Wolverines’ last game against Illinois with illnesses themselves.
Williams — a 6-foot-7, 225-pounder out of Clinton, Md. — has started all 25 games this season. He’s averaging 12.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest. He leads the team with 44 made three-pointers, converting on 38.9 percent of his 113 attempts from deep.
Michigan graduate forward Tray Jackson is a strong possibility to start in Williams’ place. The 6-foot-10, 215-pound Seton Hall transfer is averaging 5.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, having come off the bench to make 21 appearances in his first season with the Maize and Blue.
Head coach Juwan Howard hinted at his team not being fully healthy during his press conference.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Agiye Hall commits
Former 5-star surprise commitment
- 2New
Urban Meyer
Declaring SEC dominance over
- 3Hot
AP Poll projection
Judgement Saturday brings change
- 4
Squirrel White
Former Vols WR ACC bound
- 5
Zachariah, Zion Branch
USC playmakers SEC bound
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
“Health needs to go right,” Howard said of a key to victory over Michigan State. “We have always asked and worked hard to do whatever we can to keep our players safe, but we’re dealing with a lot. We’re missing some guys because of health reasons. So, good health is always one of those that you want on your team. I know that speaks for not only me but for every college team that’s during this time of the year, because you have some players who — if not all — are dealing with some type of bumps and bruises, because now you’re getting toward the end of your season.
“Basketball is a physical game and the practices and the games, there’s always going to be something. But at the same time, you’re always hoping that you can have fresh bodies, and more important than just fresh bodies, that everyone on your roster is ready to go.”
Asked if Michigan’s health issues stretch beyond just Khayat and Jace Howard, the head coach did not provide a further clarification.
“That’s really a good question for Michigan medical,” Howard said. “We have had some guys who have missed some practice because of being sick and some being injured. We’re just hoping and praying that we can have everyone ready to go tomorrow.”
