Juwan Howard releases statement on cancelation of Big Ten Tournament

Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard has issued a statement from Indianapolis following the cancelation of the 2020 Big Ten Conference Tournament, where his team was set to take on Rutgers at noon on Thursday.

Here’s what Howard had to say via U-M Athletics:

“Some things are bigger than basketball. This is a global situation and we need to make sure we follow the guidance and direction of the experts and health officials. While we are disappointed of not being able to play this event — especially for Zavier and Jon, we need to stay bonded together during this time. We want everyone to stay safe and take precautions to protect yourselves and loved ones. We are a Michigan family ... forever.“

The plan for the NCAA Tournament is currently to play in front of empty arenas, but with a flurry of recent cancelations due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we may have seen our last college basketball game played of the season. It could also potentially mean the career of Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske — the two winningest players in the history of Michigan Basketball — would see their careers come to an end without a chance to pad that resume.

The buzzphrase that we continue to hear while this is going is that everything is a “fluid situation,” but with certain conferences suspending all athletics through March 30 and potentially beyond, get ready for a world without sports for a bit.