Tempers flared during No. 19 Indiana’s 91-89 loss to Iowa on Thursday evening. Those tempers kept flaring at the post-game press conference as well.
It’s understandable that Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson wouldn’t be too happy after watching his team blow a 21-point lead. However, his post-game outburst wasn’t so much about the score but about a situation that happened involving Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery.
With less than a minute left and Iowa up by two points, Indiana associate head coach Yasir Rosemond approached an official to speak with him. McCaffery apparently didn’t like the discussion and got into Rosemond’s face. McCaffery was pulled away by an assistant and player but it kicked off a mini-fracas between the benches and the teams needed to be held back.
Iowa's Fran McCaffery getting in the face of Indiana assistant coach Yasir Rosemond, leading to a mini-fracas between the two teams. pic.twitter.com/9JSO0XsHvv
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 6, 2023
While a referee initially signaled that he was going to call a technical foul on McCaffery, who had already been called for a technical foul in the first half, one was never called. A second technical would have seen the coach thrown out of the game. Instead, he stuck around and led the Hawkeyes to the comeback victory.
Afterward, Woodson was asked about the incident and he did not mince any words about how he felt.
Full clip: https://t.co/I5fLaImh0r pic.twitter.com/k9GElUOUez
— Keegan Nickoson (@Knickoson42) January 6, 2023
“That’s bullshit. You can print that one. Because when you let coaches come across halfcourt into your space, that’s bullshit. It is.”
A reporter then asked about whether or not a second technical should have been called on McCaffery and Woodson remained resolute in his opinion.
“They did call a tech and they pulled it back, which is bullshit,” said Woodson. “Guy should have been thrown out of the goddamn game.”
Between this and Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson calling Wisconsin players “scumbags,” there’s no love lost between rivals in the Big Ten these days.
Circle February 28 on your calendar as that’s when Iowa will visit Bloomington, Indiana for the rematch. Should be a “fun” one.
[IndyStar.com, The Comeback.com]
