Wolverine TV: Juwan Howard, Hunter Dickinson, Kobe Bufkin discuss Michigan loss to Rutgers
CHICAGO, Ill. — Michigan Wolverines basketball fell to Rutgers, 62-50, in its first game of the Big Ten Tournament. Head coach Juwan Howard, sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin and junior center Hunter Dickinson met with the media after the loss.
Michigan led by 3 points at halftime but made just 4 second-half field goals and was completely dominated, 37-22, after the break.
“I would say ‘good afternoon’ to everyone, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a good afternoon for us,” Howard said to open his press conference. “We came up on the other end, where we lost, and it was a tough loss for this team, for this coaching staff, and also for the university.
“I’m proud of our young men on how they competed throughout the season. Obviously they wanted another outcome. They wanted to continue to keep playing throughout the tournament.
“I feel that throughout this season with the adversity that we’ve been through, I think we grew from it. No, really, trust me, we did grow from it. I wouldn’t want to be with any other group but this group of young men that I’m so proud of.”
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Continued the Michigan coach: “[None] of them from day one has ever pointed the finger at one another or blamed this guy, that guy, or the coach. I’m so proud of how we always talk about being a family, and family was truly tested today and tested throughout the season.”
Rutgers ranked No. 4 nationally in defensive efficiency entering the afternoon, but even that was one of its best defensive performances of the season.
“Give credit where credit is due,” Bufkin, who turned the ball over 7 times, said. “Obviously Rutgers is a very good defensive team. Me personally, I felt like I probably played my worst brand of basketball on the worst day to play it. Seven turnovers is unacceptable.”
Michigan’s missed shots were frustrating, the players said.
“It is a little deflating,” Dickinson, who was the only successful Michigan player on the offensive end and scored a game-high 24 points, said. “Just miscommunication between us, the guys out there. That’s something we practice a lot. Unacceptable. The coaches emphasize it in practice and in timeouts of one guy declaring the shooter, one guy pinching in.”
Watch the full Michigan press conference below.
