GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Horizon League suspended Green Bay men’s basketball head coach Doug Gottlieb for one game after he criticized officials after last Sunday’s loss at Milwaukee.
Gottlieb will miss Friday’s game at Oakland and then return to coach the final two regular season games. Assistant coach Kerry Rupp will replace Gottlieb.
League Statement on Disciplinary Action#OurHorizon 🌇| #HLMBB 🏀 pic.twitter.com/JcQpbtsuyg
— Horizon League (@HorizonLeague) February 18, 2026
Gottlieb posted a response to his suspension, apologizing for his comments.
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) February 18, 2026
At his postgame news conference following the Phoenix’s loss over the weekend, Gottlieb’s first were words, “I need the league to explain to me why I got a technical foul when I did not curse. I was not demonstrative, I did not leave my box. All I said was, ‘That’s the same play as the other end.’”
Gottlieb then became more animated, slamming his fists on a table at his postgame press conference.
Gottlieb was upset officials called a foul on senior guard Preston Ruedinger with 24 seconds to play and did not call a foul on Milwaukee’s Stevie Elam, who ripped the ball away from Ruedinger during the Phoenix’s final possession.
“The last play of the game, just to get the ball, they’re grabbing us and holding us. Again, I understand if you’re not calling that. That’s fine,” Gottlieb said before pounding on the table and raising his voice. “You had the exact same play on both ends in the last play of the game. The exact same f****** play! The exact same play.”
As for the technical foul, Gottlieb was assessed the penalty with 6:58 to play after yelling something in the direction of an official. Gottlieb believed that tech was unwarranted.
With three regular season games left to play, Green Bay is tied for third place in the Horizon League at 10-7, one-half game behind second-place Oakland.
Comments