Green Bay basketball coach Doug Gottlieb has been suspended for one game by the Horizon League after his postgame outburst following a loss to Milwaukee. The Panthers defeated Gottlieb’s team 75-72 in a closely contested game on Sunday.
During his postgame press conference, Gottlieb was critical of the game officials, expressing his frustration by slamming the table and using an expletive. The Horizon League issued a statement on Wednesday announcing the suspension, stating that Gottlieb’s comments did not align with the league’s values of sportsmanship.
In response to the suspension, Doug Gottlieb issued an apology on Wednesday for his behavior, acknowledging his mistake and expressing his respect for the officials and the difficult job they have. He will serve his suspension when Green Bay faces the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, with his assistant Kerry Rupp stepping in as the acting head coach.
The incident that sparked Gottlieb’s outburst was a technical foul called against him with just under seven minutes remaining in the game. He had argued with an official about a defensive rebound by Milwaukee’s Faizon Fields, comparing it to a similar play involving Green Bay’s CJ O’Hara, which resulted in a foul on O’Hara.
Gottlieb called on Horizon League commissioner Jill Bodensteiner to provide an explanation for the disparity in officiating, highlighting the need for a fair game. The loss to Milwaukee ended Green Bay’s three-game win streak, bringing their record to 15-13 overall and 10-7 in conference play.
The team was led in scoring by Marcus Hall with 32 points, while Preston Ruedinget and CJ O’Hara contributed 12 and 10 points respectively. Despite the setback, Gottlieb remains committed to moving forward and improving his conduct in the future.
In the absence of Doug Gottlieb, Kerry Rupp will take charge as Green Bay’s acting head coach for their upcoming game. The Horizon League has deemed the matter closed and will not be commenting further on the incident.
