34 THE WOLVERINE
JANUARY 2020
BY JOHN BORTON
J
uwan Howard's first-ever
Michigan team enjoyed a warm
Thanksgiving in the Bahamas
— and became red hot in the
process.
A three-game sweep in the Battle 4
Atlantis — against Iowa State, then-
No. 6 North Carolina and then-No. 8
Gonzaga — propelled an unranked
crew of Wolverines to No. 4 in the
Associated Press poll. The meteoric
rise signaled that Howard isn't will-
ing to accept all the growing pains
as a first-year head coach that many
deemed inevitable.
He can learn, win and have fun
with his team all at the same time,
that team declared by its perfor-
mance.
An indelible moment arrived early.
After wrapping up the holiday tour-
nament championship, Howard
strode over to the Wolverines on the
Imperial Ballroom court at Paradise
Island.
He was in paradise, moving in a
joyous dance before his players. They
responded in kind, swaying, laugh-
ing, whooping it up and luxuriating
in the realization that the future is
now.
Howard high-fived them, follow-
BRIGHT BEGINNING
Michigan's Hot Start Excites Basketball Followers