The past couple of weeks have been an interesting and turbulent time for Michigan men’s basketball, with head coach Juwan Howard the subject of persistent chatter about his job status.
With Howard now back on the sideline, attention around the Wolverines can now shift to something a little more welcome: basketball. Following back-to-back wins over Iowa and Eastern Michigan that got it back over .500, Michigan returns to action Tuesday with a neutral-site game against Florida at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The matchup is part of an event called the Jumpman Invitational, which features the original four schools that signed apparel contracts with Jordan Brand in basketball and football: Michigan, Florida, North Carolina and Oklahoma. The event features the men’s and women’s teams from both schools, with opponents rotating over a three-year cycle. The Wolverines, for example, played North Carolina in 2022 and are set to face off against Oklahoma in 2024.
MORE: Watch Michigan vs. Florida basketball live with Fubo (free trial)
Even before speculation swirled around Howard after an altercation between him and strength coach Jon Sanderson, the 2023-24 season had already been a trying one for both the Michigan coach and his program.
Howard underwent heart surgery on Sept. 15 to resect an aortic aneurysm and repair an aortic valve. Because of that, he was unable to return as the Wolverines’ head coach until last Saturday’s 83-66 victory against Eastern Michigan. As Howard was away, Michigan stumbled to a 4-5 start and at one point lost five of six games.
It should get a stern test from Florida, which is off to a 7-3 start. The Gators own a pair of wins over major-conference opponents — victories against Florida State and Pitt that came by a combined 36 points — and have successfully deployed an up-tempo style of play that ranks them 16th among 362 Division I schools in adjusted tempo, according to KenPom.com. Four Florida players are averaging at least 12 points per game this season, led by Iona transfer Walter Clayton Jr.’s 16.5 points per game.
This will be the fifth all-time meeting between Michigan and Florida, with the Wolverines winning three of the previous four contests.
Here’s everything you need to know about the game, including time, date, TV and streaming info, and more:
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What channel is Michigan vs. Florida today?
The Wolverines and Gators will face off on a nationally televised broadcast on ESPN. Dave O’Brien (play by play), as well as Debbie Antonelli and Myron Medcalf (analysts), will be on the call.
Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app and Fubo, the latter of which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Michigan vs. Florida start time
- Date: Tuesday, Dec. 19
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
Michigan and Florida will tip off at 7:01 p.m. ET from Charlotte.
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Michigan basketball schedule 2023-24
| Date | Opponent |
| Saturday, Dec. 2 | Oregon 86, Michigan 83 (OT) |
| Tuesday, Dec. 5 | Indiana 78, Michigan 75* |
| Sunday, Dec. 10 | Michigan 90, Iowa 80* |
| Saturday, Dec. 16 | Michigan 83, Eastern Michigan 66 |
| Tuesday, Dec. 19 | vs. Florida (Charlotte) |
| Friday, Dec. 29 | vs. McNeese |
For Michigan’s full 2023-24 schedule, click here.
Florida basketball schedule 2023-24
| Date | Opponent |
| Tuesday, Dec. 5 | Florida 77, Merrimack 57 |
| Saturday, Dec. 9 | Florida 87, Richmond 76 |
| Thursday, Dec. 14 | Florida 70, East Carolina 65 |
| Tuesday, Dec. 19 | vs. Michigan (Charlotte) |
| Friday, Dec. 22 | vs. Grambling State |
| Saturday, Dec. 30 | vs. Quinnipiac |
For Florida’s full 2023-24 schedule, click here.
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