The Horizon League handed Doug Gottlieb a one-game suspension for criticizing officials during a heated postgame rant. However, the college basketball coach at Green Bay was absolutely correct.
He did not deserve to pick up a technical foul during the loss to Milwaukee.
Although his behavior after the college basketball game is what ultimately got him in trouble, Gottlieb’s behavior during the game was not inappropriate. He had every reason to be frustrated.
Doug Gottlieb lost his temper.
Green Bay held an eight-point lead over Milwaukee with approximately eight minutes left in the game. The Panthers used an 8-0 run to even the score. They went on to beat the Phoenix by a final score of 75-72. It was a crucial result for Horizon League standings with just three games left to play.
Doug Gottlieb was called for a technical foul during that 8-0 run. Milwaukee converted both technical free throws to get within one point with 6:58 left to play.
Gottlieb did not understand why. He expressed his frustration with the decision during an intense postgame press conference, which took direct aim at Horizon League official King Whetstone.
The second-year head coach questioned why he got a technical foul when he “did not curse,” “was not demonstrative” and “did not leave his box.” All three of those things are true. Gottlieb was right!
His frustration was not the issue. It was his delivery.
Gottlieb slammed the table and used explicit language during the press conference so the Horizon League chose to suspend him for one game. Green Bay does not agree with the decision.
THREAD: Doug Gottlieb addressed the media after being handed a one-game suspension from the Horizon League. pic.twitter.com/AhScW9ITmX
— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) February 18, 2026
Gottlieb does not plan to be less transparent with the media moving forward but he learned not to comment on officiating in front of a camera.
Gottlieb was asked if his transparency with the media will change moving forward. In short? No. But learned not to comment on officiating in front of a camera. pic.twitter.com/VDcuUXoT5q
— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) February 18, 2026
Kerry Rupp will be the acting head coach for the Phoenix on Friday night.
The Horizon League basketball referee was wrong.
Doug Gottlieb did not curse. He was not demonstrative. He did not leave the coaching box.
And yet, Whetstone still decided to call him for a technical foul during a key moment of a close game. It was bogus.
Here is the specific play that sparked Gottlieb’s frustration:
— – (@Spicoli_____) February 19, 2026
Here is the never-before-heard audio that led to the technical foul, as provided by Mitch Gilfillan:
— – (@Spicoli_____) February 19, 2026
Gottlieb got T’d up for saying five words in total. If that is worthy of a technical foul, then every college basketball coach in the country should receive multiple technical fouls per game.
Perhaps there was more to the story. Maybe the technical foul called on Gottlieb served as the culmination of multiple prior incidents. I don’t know because I wasn’t there.
What I do know is that Doug Gottlieb is right. He did not deserve the technical foul, which caused him to lose his cool during the postgame press conference, which led to his suspension.