Big Ten Daily (Jan. 16): Fab Five Returns to Crisler Center For Michigan-Ohio State Game
Ann Arbor partied like it was 1992 on Monday. For the first time since their playing days, the Fab Five of Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Ray Jackson, Jimmy King and Juwan Howard were all at Crisler Center for Michigan's game against rival Ohio State.
Webber, Rose, Jackson and King all sat together for Monday's game, showing support for Howard, now in his fifth season as the head coach at Michigan. Their appearance seemed to provide some luck, with the Wolverines posting a 73-65 victory over the Buckeyes.
It's been over 30 years since the five former Michigan stars were all in Ann Arbor together. When the group was shown on the jumbotron near the end of the first half, fans gave them a standing ovation.
“It’s really cool to be here, but it’s better to be here as family,” Webber told Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press. “If it took 100 years, I’d wait that long to be here, sincerely. So it feels great.”
The Fab Five formed one of the best college basketball teams in history, enjoying a dominant two-year run from 1991-93. Michigan played in the national championship in 1992 and 1993 but fell short of winning a title.
Over the years, there's been some tension among members of the Fab Five, as well as with the University of Michigan. Since Howard took over as head coach in 2019, relationships have been repaired.
"Wow, I'm still on an emotional high. Just to see my brothers show up on a day that's so special, when you need them the most," Howard said after the game. "What I mean when I say needing them the most — when you have a team that's fighting so hard like our team and coming up short game after game, sometimes having doubts creeps into your mind. ...
"To see a group of brothers that have put on that jersey before and who have been through tough times, to be able to walk through that door and uplift our group and inspire them the way they inspired them today with their presence, it was special to see. It was special to be part of it."
Michigan has endured some struggles this year, sitting at just 7-10 on the season with a 2-4 mark in Big Ten play. Prior to the win over Ohio State, the Wolverines had lost five straight games.
Although it's been 30 years since that group put on a maize-and-blue uniform, the Fab Five still has an impact in Ann Arbor. It was really cool to see Rose, Webber, Jackson, King and Howard back together again.
Fran McCaffery Makes Iowa History
Fran McCaffery has made history in Iowa City. In his 14th season as the coach of the Hawkeyes, he became the program's leader in all-time wins.
McCaffery notched win No. 272 on Monday, with Iowa defeating Minnesota 86-77. The Hawkeyes improved to 11-6 on the year and are now 3-3 in Big Ten play.
After the game, McCaffery was emotional about the achievement.
"It means a lot," McCaffery said, fighting back tears. "To be compared to Tom Davis — I came here 14 years ago, never thought this would happen."
Davis set the standard at Iowa, winning 271 games as the coach from 1986-99. Earlier this season, McCaffery passed Davis to become the program's all-time leader in Big Ten victories.
McCaffery has posted a 272-182 record during his time in Iowa City. He's led the Hawkeyes to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and three trips to the NIT.
In 2022, McCaffery's Hawkeyes won the Big Ten Tournament championship.
"It's been a incredible journey. It doesn't seem like 14 years ago that I moved my family to Iowa, but it was. I got to coach two of my boys, and some really special people. One of my first captains is on my staff," McCaffery said, per Eliot Clough of Rivals.
"When I came here I was very aware of the history, and I was just so proud to be the Hawkeye coach. You never think that 14 years later you're still doing it, and you're being talked about with the other ones -- more specifically Dr. Tom who was someone who supported me since I got here.
"It's just an incredibly proud moment for me, my family, the program and all those guys that wore the jersey. One of them was here tonight, Luka Garza. He was responsible for a lot of those wins, I'll tell you that. He made me a better coach."
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