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The Michigan Wolverines coach, Juwan Howard, was sidelined for part of the season after undergoing a heart procedure in September 2023. In his absence, the team had a slow start, with five wins in their opening ten games. Currently, they stand 10th in the Big Ten conference, with a 2-2 home record and a 2-1 record away from home.
However, as they face the Eastern Michigan Eagles next, the team is coming off an 80-90 away win in their previous game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Meanwhile, the Eagles have five wins in their first nine games and are eighth in the Mid-American conference.
Unlike the Wolverines, Eastern Michigan suffered a 66-73 home defeat against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in their last outing.
Why did Juwan Howard undergo a heart procedure?
Howard had a routine medical checkup in the offseason, and several conditions that needed treatment were identified. Therefore, surgery was scheduled to repair the aortic valve and remove the aortic aneurysm to replace it with a graft. Dr. Himanshu Patel successfully performed the procedure, and the Michigan coach was believed to be fine within six to 12 weeks.
After the surgery, Juwan Howard released a statement.
"I feel so grateful and blessed that this surgery was performed at University of Michigan Health. My wife, Jenine, and our family appreciate the world-class care that has been provided to us. Dr. [Kim] Eagle, Dr. Patel, Dr. [Stanley] Chetcuti, and all of the staff at the Frankel Cardiovascular Center are so talented and performed like champions throughout this process. I am going to work very hard in my rehabilitation to be stronger than ever by the time our upcoming season is upon us."
Who was Michigan's interim coach in Juwan Howard's absence?
Phil Martelli, associate head coach, was acting as the Wolverines' interim coach in Howard's absence. He returned for the first time this season on November 23 against Memphis, which the team lost 71-67.
The 50-year-old has been heading Michigan since 2019 and has an impressive 84-53 record. His best year with the team was the 2020 season, where he led the team to a 23-5 record and finished first in the Big Ten.
