Doug Gottlieb hammers in the umpire in a heated uproar after the Milwaukee loss

Doug Gottlieb was not happy with the trial Defeat of Green Bay Phoenix 75-72 at the Milwaukee Panthers on Sunday afternoon.

Gottlieb is thriving through the second season of his coaching career in Phoenix. After a disastrous debut campaign, Gottlieb has enjoyed significant improvement as Green Bay could have a shot at a conference title this year.

However, they had a setback in a loss to Milwaukee. Green Bay was down by a point in the dying seconds of the game as Preston Rudinger drove to the basket, where Milwaukee’s Stevie Elam ripped the ball out of his hands. Phoenix fouled Elam, who sank two free throws to extend his team’s lead and seal the victory.

Gottlieb said the officials should have called a foul on that play, according to reporter Kyle Malzahn. He said this while Rudinger fouled Milwaukee’s Amar’e Ogiard with 24 seconds to play for the same reason, prompting the head coach to express visible frustration. Gottlieb also received a technical foul earlier in the match, prompting him to demand transparency from Commissioner Horizon.

“The last play of the game, just to get the ball, they catch us and hold us. Again, I understand if you don’t call that — that’s fine,” Gottlieb said before slamming the table and knocking the microphone off the stand. “You had the exact same play on both sides on the last play of the game. The exact same fucking play! The exact same play.”

“I need the new commissioner of the Horizon League to explain to me what a technical foul is when I don’t come out of the box, I don’t swear, I’m not demonstrative,” he said. “There was nothing, nothing that should have been called a technical foul. I know when I earn it. I didn’t earn it.”

Green Bay men’s basketball head coach Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShov) with an intense press conference after the game demanding an explanation as to why he was called for a technical foul at the end of the 2nd half.

You can listen for yourself. Perhaps you will see the trainer most passionately. pic.tvitter.com/nTKSPbIFpUb

— Kyle Malzhan (@KileMalzhan) February 15, 2026

How Doug Gottlieb performed, Green Bay vs. Milwaukee

Doug Gottlieb has made solid progress in his second year as head coach. However, Green Bay’s loss to Milwaukee will stand out to him as an example of how to approach controversial calls or mistakes officials make moving forward.

Green Bay fell to 15-13 overall, going 10-7 in Horizon games so far. They are in third place in the conference standings, above the Robert Morris Colonials and Detroit Mercies Titans while trailing the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and Wright State Raiders.

Phoenix will look to bounce back in their next match as they are on the road. They face Oakland and tip-off will take place on February 20th at 7pm ET.