Juwan Howard discusses how Michigan should proceed after a big loss against Ohio State Sunday.
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00:00 >> Nine and a half minutes left, T-Wall's going on that breakaway.
00:04 Ball goes away, kind of a 22-4, I think, run.
00:06 The other way, what happens then?
00:08 You guys responded so many times.
00:09 What were you guys not able to respond to that time?
00:12 >> Yeah, great question.
00:13 It was the turnovers.
00:15 That turnover, and then from there, it spiraled into more turnovers.
00:19 And fortunately on the offensive end, those were the opportunities where either we get
00:25 to the bucket and we try to make a play, whether it's individual play, and
00:31 that led to a turnover, or we try to make a pass, or where it did not land in
00:36 the players' hands, it landed in Ohio State hands, which unfortunately,
00:39 that's not what we're trying to accomplish there.
00:44 That led to a basket for them.
00:46 And overall, just the confidence got higher for the Ohio State players, and
00:51 then the crowd got really into it, and just feed the light to that group on the floor.
00:55 So the confidence for us, we're gonna continue to keep driving home,
01:01 as far as getting to the basics, and what are the basics?
01:05 Surrender to protecting the basketball and
01:09 guiding that basketball like no other, cuz it's hard to win, especially in this
01:14 conference when you give up 18 turnovers.
01:16 >> Some of these lopsided losses, especially, I guess,
01:22 what's the key to keep going and getting off the mat?
01:26 >> Yeah, well, this is a really important week for us, because we have no games.
01:31 We have a lot of practice time, where we're gonna get into the gym and
01:35 work on a lot of those basics that I'm talking about, whether it's creating
01:40 passing leads, rebounding the basketball, keeping guys off offensive glass,
01:45 getting to running our sets where one option breaks down,
01:50 making sure that we get to the second situation.
01:52 Do a better job of retaining the dribble.
01:56 There were times in the second half where, whether it was Rodney who was getting to
02:00 the paint, or whether it was Bruce who was getting to the paint,
02:06 then Bonner, get to the basics of guarding and guarding without foul.
02:12 >> Coach, when you're in a tough stretch like this, and
02:17 you talk about confidence, how hard is it to keep the confidence going?
02:20 And what can you do to help them through that?
02:23 >> Well, I'm gonna always continue to keep breathing that positive energy
02:28 to our group.
02:30 First, it starts with the leadership, and that's me.
02:33 I come in with a negative attitude, I come in with pointing the fingers or
02:36 doubting our group, all that's gonna do is make things worse.
02:40 I will continue to keep teaching, that would help,
02:45 as well as keep feeding light into our group with confidence and positive energy.
02:49 >> Ohio State's bench had 40 points today, what problems did that cause for you guys?
02:57 >> Well, Ohio State can play some really good basketball as of late,
03:03 and gives credit to their coaching staff.
03:06 Change, unfortunately, he was a great coach, and then one of his assistants stepped in
03:11 and put his imprint on him by keeping also similar system, and
03:17 it's been working for them.
03:19 And can't take anything away from them today,
03:23 I give them credit defensively, they got into us.
03:26 And that's what caused a lot of those turnovers that I was speaking of.
03:30 So it just talks about the level of competitiveness at this time of year,
03:35 where everyone takes the game higher.
03:39 Unfortunately, we didn't do that today for us.
03:41 >> Right here in front.
03:43 >> John, what was it like compared to this Ohio State team compared to the one that
03:46 you saw a month and a half ago?
03:48 >> Well, it's a similar team with a similar system.
03:51 Yes, they have simplified some things from an offensive standpoint, but
03:57 defensively still run the same stuff.
03:59 When you have senior day, that will of course ignite you and get you going.
04:04 When you have a packed house, the way how it was with all the red in the building,
04:09 that of course will ignite you and get you going as well.
04:12 But when you talk about, and something that hasn't been said yet,
04:16 that you guys have already stated this, but it's a rivalry game.
04:19 And rivalry always gets you going, because when you see a team that you do
04:25 not care for too much, you're gonna go out there and you don't give it your best.
04:30 And that's exactly what we did when they was in our building.
04:32 >> All right, Ty?
04:34 >> Yeah, I got one more about the turnovers.
04:36 You guys did a pretty good job forcing them as well.
04:38 I think 16, but they just didn't quite translate to points the same way.
04:43 Is that just shot making, I guess, or
04:46 what happened when it didn't quite work the other way?
04:49 >> Well, for us, we really only had one shot opportunity,
04:52 where it was a one pass shot.
04:54 And we haven't had success when we have those opportunities down the floor
05:00 on the offensive end where we're not making the defense work, or
05:03 we're not getting to our second situations.
05:05 Or we're not making plays for others.
05:09 And our group, their heart's in the right place.
05:12 At times as a competitor, you feel you have to will it on your own.
05:16 But it can't happen that way.
05:18 You got to surrender to get others, what I mean by making sure
05:25 that you have others making an impact and putting imprint on the game.
05:28 And wherever your imprint is, whether it's doing the little things where
05:32 the ball is not going in the basket, where that's a loose ball.
05:35 Whether it's setting a screen, or whether it's running into your sets and
05:40 working on the timing and making sure the timing works.
05:43 That's what happens in basketball that results to winning.
05:48 And we didn't have that this game.
05:51 >> Coach, we have Andrew and then in front.
05:53 >> As far as the fundamentals you talked about that you worked on this week,
05:59 I mean, why do you think some of those things haven't been shown by your guys?
06:05 >> We got to keep hampering in on those basics.
06:08 And this is a great week for us.
06:10 So now kids can get in the gym and we have to worry about the schedule of
06:17 two day prep and then back to another game or two day prep and another game.
06:25 No, we have now a free week where we can just get in the lab and get better.
06:33 >> You've been around this a long time around the game.
06:35 What happens when there's a coaching change?
06:37 What can happen just to divide the changes maybe?
06:42 >> Well, I've been in a situation where I was on the NBA level where coaching
06:46 changed, so on the collegiate level, I can't really quote that because
06:51 Steve Fisher was my coach and in my opinion, a Hall of Fame coach.
06:57 And so on the NBA level, this is a type of different style
07:03 along with a different mindset and then you're dealing with grown men.
07:08 Here you have young men, some of them are grown, they're adults, but
07:14 it's a different level, so I can't really quote or give you a good answer.
07:18 >> I was just wondering if a different voice can make a difference.
07:22 >> Like NBA is different and it's totally, that's a business.
07:28 So you get paid to do that.
07:31 This is totally different now.
07:33 But I won't go any further with that.
07:37 I know what I was thinking about.
07:38 [LAUGH]
07:42 >> The relentless nature of going through this league schedule is not easy when
07:46 things are going well.
07:47 When you're struggling a little bit,
07:49 what's it like to go through this league night after night?
07:52 >> Well, I'll tell you one thing, I'll tell you my food doesn't taste the same.
07:55 And my pillow becomes a lot harder and rough.
08:01 When you're winning, everything just starts feeling great.
08:06 I smile at my wife, I don't have that growl on my face.
08:12 I may have, I'm winning, I'm smiling every day and I'm being joyful.
08:16 When you're winning, the food takes five star level and
08:22 the pillow becomes more of like a sleep number pillow or something like that.
08:26 So talk to Coach Payton, he's just what,
08:31 closed out as far as Big Ten Championship.
08:36 Right now, at this moment, I remember that feeling.
08:41 That was a great feeling when we won it in 2021.
08:44 Everything felt great.
08:45 Okay, let's go.
08:47 [BLANK_AUDIO]