ANN ARBOR, Mich. — In a hallway within the guts of Crisler Middle, an anxious Michigan athletics worker walked Phil Martelli to the information convention. Greater than as soon as, she supplied to assist: Do you want me? Can I do something?
Martelli, his shoulders relaxed and his demeanor assured, assured her that he was OK. And with that, he strode purposefully into the room and towards the rostrum.
“I do know what I’m doing. I’ve accomplished this earlier than,” he mentioned Tuesday.
The 67-year-old Martelli, having spent almost 4 a long time in big-time faculty basketball, will fill in for Michigan head coach Juwan Howard for the remainder of the common season. Howard was suspended 5 video games and fined $40,000 by the Massive Ten Convention after hitting a Wisconsin assistant coach within the head through the handshake line after a loss Sunday.
Martelli goals to bolster the Wolverines’ probabilities at an NCAA Event bid after the group began the season with excessive expectations for March. His first recreation will likely be Wednesday night time when Michigan (14-11, 8-7) performs host to Rutgers.
Now in his third season because the Michigan affiliate head coach, following 24 years of guiding Saint Joseph’s and 10 extra there as an assistant, Martelli is not any stranger to main a group by way of late-season strain. He maintained his strategy will likely be to proceed on the trail created by Howard.
“What we now have in place is the best way we’re going to play,” Martelli mentioned. “I don’t have the offensive thoughts that (Howard) has. I don’t have that in my DNA.”
Assistant coach Howard Eisley will function offensive coordinator in Howard’s absence, Martelli mentioned. Eisley will name units from a “actually efficient and big” playbook that he and Howard have put collectively.
And Martelli made this clear: Michigan will proceed to take part in postgame handshake strains.
“Don't do away with them,” he mentioned, including, “that is about greater than basketball, it’s about educating younger individuals classes.”
Howard, a former Michigan standout and NBA All-Star who's the reigning Related Press males’s coach of the yr, grew to become upset after Wisconsin coach Greg Gard referred to as a timeout with 15 seconds left and his group main by 15.
The confrontation started when Gard grabbed Howard by the arm in an try to elucidate why he referred to as the timeout. Howard yelled and put his proper index finger in Gard’s face as the 2 started to argue.
After the 2 coaches have been separated, Howard swung his proper hand and struck Wisconsin assistant Joe Krabbenhoft on the left facet of the top with an open hand. Gamers on each side rapidly received concerned and a punch-filled melee ensued.
Howard apologized in a press release Monday. Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II and Jahcobi Neath of Wisconsin have been suspended one recreation every.
Diabate averages 5.7 rebounds per recreation, second finest on the Wolverines, and 9.3 factors. Williams is a reserve ahead enjoying 15.4 minutes per recreation. The Wolverines will look to bench gamers akin to Jace Howard and Brandon Johns Jr. to switch that manufacturing.
“Brandon Johns isn't Moussa,” Martelli mentioned. “You may’t provide you with a recreation plan and say, ‘Moussa averages 8.1; how are we going to get 8.1?’ That’s not going to work. … We'd like one of the best Brandon Johns with a purpose to beat Rutgers, and it’ll be adequate.”
Martelli was the 2004 Related Press males’s coach of the yr after guiding Saint Joseph’s inside one win of the Remaining 4. He was 444-328 because the Hawks’ head coach, together with seven appearances within the NCAA Event.
Martelli will coach the Wolverines in dwelling matchups towards Rutgers, No. 15 Illinois on Sunday, Michigan State on March 1 and No. 25 Iowa on March 3, and a go to to No. 22 Ohio State on March 6.
Howard is predicted to return for the Massive Ten Event, which begins March 9 in Indianapolis.
“I'm not Juwan Howard, and I’m going to be me,” Martelli mentioned. “A small factor about me is that I by no means sit down throughout a recreation. So there’ll be a chair there, however it is going to be for him. It is not going to be for me.”
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