Michigan survives Juwan Howard’s “brain fart,” staves off Iowa Hawkeyes, 84-79

IOWA CITY — Juwan Howard was able to laugh during and after his Michigan men’s basketball team’s 84-79 win over Iowa Thursday night.

Howard had what he called “a brain fart” with 18:23 left in a tied game when he picked up a live ball that was rolling his way, one clearly headed out of bounds.

He realized his blunder, which cost him a Class B technical foul, and couldn’t help but laugh at his own error. That meant one free throw for Iowa, which Jordan Bohannon made. Had the Wolverines lost by a point, it would have been forever remembered.

“The ball was rolling,” Howard said after the game. “Just my instincts. I think I’m being helpful and I go and pick up the ball.

“I wasn’t as locked in as I should have. I told the guys in the locker room, we coaches make mistakes, too.”

Michigan’s players survived Howard’s mental slip, and a furious Iowa late-game rally as well. The Hawkeyes scored nine straight points to cut a 78-66 deficit to 78-75 with 1:21 left, and had two last-minute chances at game-tying 3-pointers.

Keegan Murray, who suffered from leg cramps in the second half, missed a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left. Michigan’s DeVante Jones made 1 of 2 free throws with 11.7 seconds to go for an 81-77 Wolverines lead.

Ahron Ulis scored with 6.1 seconds left to pull Iowa within 81-79. Jones again made 1 of 2 foul shots, Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon missed a long heave of a 3-pointer after Jones slipped and failed to foul Bohannon before the shot, and Jones finished the scoring with two last-second free throws.

“Iowa’s tough, man,” Howard said. “They’re relentless.”

The defeat ended the Hawkeyes’ three-game win streak and dropped them to 7-7 in the Big Ten, 17-8 overall. Michigan improved to 8-6, 14-10.

Freshman forward Moussa Diabate scored a career-high 28 points to lead Michigan.

Diabate, a 6-foot-11, 5-star recruit from Paris via Florida’s IMG Academy, entered the game averaging 8.6 points with a high of 15. He made 12 of 15 shots from the field in posting the most points a Big Ten player has scored against the Hawkeyes this season.

“Moussa has had the opportunity to compete against (Ohio State’s E.J.) Liddell and Keegan Murray,” Howard said. “And the list goes on. It’s a very tough, talented conference. He’s smart enough and selfless enough to learn from those guys.”

“I thought we did a good job on (Michigan center Hunter) Dickinson,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. “Diabate got away from us.

“We can’t let him go 12-for-15. He’s a pro. But we can’t let him go 12-for-15.”

Senior guard Eli Brooks of Michigan snapped a 50-50 tie on a 3-pointer with 14:23 left. The Wolverines made it a 7-0 run for a 57-50 advantage, and led the rest of the way.

The first half closed with Iowa ahead 39-37. Connor McCaffery threw a long inbounds pass to Murray, who beat the buzzer with a jumper to break the 37-37 tie.

There were nine ties and eight lead changes in that half. Michigan used an 11-0 run to open a 21-14 lead, but the Hawkeyes countered with seven straight points to tie the game. It was tight from then until the Wolverines opened their 12-point lead late in the contest.

The Wolverines were just 4-of-20 from 3-point range, but Iowa was little better at 4-of-18.

“We had three missed dunks, I think,” Fran McCaffery said, then was told it was four.

“We missed a couple layups, we missed some free throws. Yet we kept coming. I think as a coach you’re proud of that effort and concentration, and execution.”

Things don’t get easier. The Hawkeyes have a quick turnaround for their next game, playing No. 18 Ohio State (9-4, 16-6) in Columbus at 1:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday.

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