ANN ARBOR, MI — There have been rumblings that neither senior point guard Zavier Simpson (suspension) nor junior forward Isaiah Livers (injury) would play Saturday against Rutgers at Madison Square Garden.
Michigan head coach Juwan Howard provided no confirmation on either Friday.
“You hear something, you tell me,” Howard quipped. “We’re still evaluating with ‘X’ and Isaiah, still evaluating his injury, but not sure what’s going to happen for tomorrow.”
The team was slated to leave for New York City at 6 pm. tonight. Simpson practiced with the team yesterday, Howard confirmed, but the coach hasn’t decided whether or not his point guard will travel.
“He’s doing the certain steps needed, asked by myself as well as the coaching staff, the university as well as his teammates,” Howard said. “X is pretty much doing whatever he needs to do. Great kid; amazing character. Just violated a team rule. We’ll keep evaluating day by day.
“He’s been very respectful and mature during the process, extremely patient. He knows there are team rules he’s got to abide by; he understands that clearly. That’s why I say he’s mature handling the situation because yes, he’s extremely disappointed by his actions and owns his actions. That’s the beauty part of it — take ownership of it. At the end of the day, I think we all will learn through this process.”
ESPNU broadcasters reported during Tuesday’s game at Nebraska, a 79-68 Michigan win, that Livers had a different injury than the groin injury that’s plagued him since late December (and that he seemed to tweak after coming down wrong on his leg last week against Illinois). Sophomore guard David DeJulius, however, said he thought it was the same injury, “just not as bad.”
DeJulius also reported that Livers was doing “a few things here and there,” but made it sound as though he hadn’t gone through a full practice. That would seem to put Livers’ availability in doubt.
Howard, though, remained non-committal.
“I’m not a doctor. I don’t get paid for it,” he said. “I am a former basketball player … all this stuff is new stuff with me. Fortunately enough, I had a great, healthy career, so I’m really dumbfounded when it comes to injuries. I’m just learning all of this.”
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