Former Michigan basketball star and Fab Five member Jalen Rose sat courtside at the Wolverines’ 75-63 win over Colorado State on Thursday, cheering on the team from the front rows of Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
.@JalenRose is HYPED 〽️#MarchMadness @umichbball pic.twitter.com/TTEGsIjdNZ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2022
Rose, a former teammate of Michigan Head Coach Juwan Howard’s, led the Wolverines to two championship games as the team’s starting point guard, along with an Elite 8 appearance in 1994 that ended with a loss to Nolan Richardson’s “40 Minutes of Hell” Arkansas Razorbacks team.
On Thursday, #11 seed Michigan pulled what could be considered an upset according to the seed lines, as they dominated the #6 seeded Rams en route to a dominant double-digit victory.
Following the game, Rose was asked about his feelings on Howard and the current day Wolverines by The Indianapolis Star.
“I’m really happy that (Howard) got the opportunity,” Rose said.
“He’s doing a terrific job coaching the team.
“It’s great to just see him nurture young people on and off the floor.”
Rose, Howard Embrace After Big First Round Victory
The former Indiana Pacers star admitted that he hadn’t watched as much college basketball this season as he would have liked, as he’s spent most of his time covering the NBA.
Rose, a Detroit native, said that he didn’t want to miss the chance to support Howard, a Chicago native, and the Wolverines.
Rose added that he’s a fan of Michigan’s current starting lineup and has high hopes going forward.
He said he picked a matchup of Michigan and #1 seed Gonzaga for the national championship game in New Orleans.
Rose also retweeted the following picture from a fan on Twitter.
Wooooooooo @umichbball wins!! Time to celebrate @JalenRose @JalenandJacoby #MarchMadness #GoBlueGo pic.twitter.com/FQDrGF8TTf
— CarChen (@CarChen) March 18, 2022
Of course, the Wolverines don’t have much time to celebrate, as they’re set to tangle with the #3 seed Tennessee Volunteers tomorrow night at 5:15 p.m. in a second round matchup that should be another tough game, with the Vols favored by 5.5 points on the early betting lines.
