The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1178918
NOVEMBER 2019 THE WOLVERINE 43 2019-20 BASKETBALL PREVIEW I think that relationship is there and they see it. "They see I'm as genuine as they come, but I'm also a guy who is go- ing to hold them accountable at times when things are not going right." They've accepted it and even em- braced it, Howard added. Practices have been energetic, and the coach hasn't gotten any push back. The players have been eager to learn, ex- cited about the new beginning and ready to send the seniors out on a high note. At the end of the day, Howard wants his team to have fun. "It's a college experience. They're supposed to enjoy this experience," he said. But they will get after it, he added. "Every player on our roster is a competitor. They love it," he said. "They're passionate about the game of basketball; they want it. I don't have to work hard to try and instill those values in them. "In our culture, we're definitely going to play hard. You have to be a competitor on that court and you have to be able to compete like it's your last. One thing we always talk about is the game of basketball is for competitors only." In that sense, Howard noted, they have to earn his trust. He seems to have earned theirs, and his goal now is to continue to build relationships. "As a former player, I always try to look at how the coaches coached the entire team," he explained. "What type of trust has he displayed amongst the players, as far as what type of relationship he has with his staff? Is he a great communicator? Is he a guy who talks the talk or is he more of a guy who walks the walk? What's your identity like? "For me, I know coming in that I don't expect my players to trust me. I want to earn their trust. I want them to know that I'm in their corner 110 percent. That has to be proven by my actions, not just by words." — Chris Balas FRANZ WAGNER IMPRESSIVE EARLY BUT WILL MISS TIME WITH BROKEN WRIST New Michigan head coach Juwan Howard got a huge boost to his first team when German Franz Wagner committed and signed this sum- mer, and it didn't take long for the new import to make an impact. The younger brother of former Wolverine Moritz Wagner, Franz has impressed everyone in every aspect through his first few months on campus. Unfortunately, it was announced Oct. 21 Wagner would miss four to six weeks after he suffered a non- surgical fracture to his right wrist. Based on that timetable, Wagner is likely to miss at least the exhibition contest and first four regular-season tilts. He could return for the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament in the Bahamas starting Nov. 27 with a game against Iowa State. Wagner was one of the better young players on Germany's Alba Berlin team, but came to the U.S. looking for a different experience for his next basketball challenge. "Back home, I maybe had the best situation basketball-wise in Europe," Wagner said. "I had great coaches, people who really cared about my development. But I just felt like life is about more than just playing ball all the time. That's really why I came here. "I felt like it was the best combina- tion of basketball and academics. I knew from my brother that he had a great experience here. If it was col- lege, I assumed it was going to be Michigan." He also knew to expect a lot of questions about his brother, though he probably wasn't prepared for so many. He marveled at the 20 or so reporters around his table at me- dia day, noting that's something he wouldn't have seen back in Germany. His brother, now in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, has helped with the transition. He even came to Ann Arbor to help him move in to his dorm at East Quad. "All these little things can be some- what of a pain in the ass when you don't have anybody," Franz said with a smile. "But with him, it just made things a lot easier." However, Franz won't try to be like Moe on the court, he quickly added. There are similarities to their games, of course, but while Moe was a big with guard skills, Franz is a wing all the way. Both were extremely talented the second they set foot on campus, but Franz also seems to be well ahead of where his brother was at the same point in their careers. Michigan's coaches believe that Wagner would have been regarded as a five-star prospect and McDonald's All-American if he was a traditional American recruit, instead of an import from Germany. PHOTO COURTESY ALBA BERLIN MICHIGAN'S 2019-20 BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Time (ET) Nov. 1 Saginaw Valley State* (BTN+) 7 p.m. Nov. 5 Appalachian State (BTN) 7 p.m. Nov. 12 Creighton# (FS1) 6:30 p.m. Nov. 15 Elon^ (BTN) 7 p.m. Nov. 22 Houston Baptist (BTN+) 7 p.m. Nov. 27 vs. Iowa State& (ESPN) 12 p.m. Nov. 28 vs. Alabama/North Carolina & (ESPN/2) 1:30/6:30 p.m. Nov. 29 TBA& (ESPN/2) TBA Dec. 3 at Louisville! (ESPN/2) 7/7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 Iowa (FS1) 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at Illinois (BTN) 9 p.m. Dec. 14 Oregon (CBS) 12 p.m. Dec. 21 Presbyterian (BTN) 12 p.m. Dec. 29 UMass Lowell (FS1) 2 p.m. Jan. 5 at Michigan State (CBS) 1:30/4:30 p.m. Jan. 9 Purdue (FS1) 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at Minnesota (BTN) 1 p.m. Jan. 17 at Iowa (FS1) 9 p.m. Jan. 22 Penn State (BTN) 7 p.m. Jan. 25 Illinois (FS1) 12 p.m. Jan. 28 at Nebraska (ESPN/2/U) 7 p.m. Feb. 1 vs. Rutgers@ (BTN) 4:30 p.m. Feb. 4 Ohio State (ESPN/2) 7 p.m. Feb. 8 Michigan State (FOX) 12 p.m. Feb. 12 at Northwestern (BTN) 9 p.m. Feb. 16 Indiana (CBS) 1 p.m. Feb. 19 at Rutgers (BTN) 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at Purdue (ESPN/2) 2 p.m. Feb. 27 Wisconsin (ESPN/2) 7 p.m. Mar. 1 at Ohio State (CBS) 4 p.m. Mar. 5 Nebraska (FS1) 6:30 p.m. Mar. 8 at Maryland (FOX) 12 p.m. Mar. 11-15 Big Ten Tournament$ (BTN/CBS) TBD * Exhibition; # Gavitt Tipoff Games; ^ Battle 4 Atlantis/ Mainland Bracket; & Battle 4 Atlantis/Championship Bracket in Paradise Island, Bahamas; ! ACC/Big Ten Challenge; @ at Madison Square Garden in New York City; $ at Indianapolis