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Big Ten apologizes to Chris Holtmann for 'far too quick' second technical foul against Wisconsin

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•02/06/23•

andybackstrom

Chris Holtmann by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was ejected late in the first half against Wisconsin on Feb. 2 after being assessed a double technical. (Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said on his 97.1 The Fan radio show Monday that he received two calls from the Big Ten office of officiating apologizing for the second technical he was assessed late in the first half of last week’s loss to Wisconsin.

“They felt like it was not warranted and far too quick and just felt like it was an error in judgment and made that known,” Holtmann said. “I appreciated both of those calls.”

Holtmann was ejected with 27.7 seconds left in the opening frame after arguing that an offensive foul call on Ohio State forward Justice Sueing was actually a flop by Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl.

Sueing was trying to back down Wahl in the post, and Wahl tumbled, drawing a whistle in the process. Holtmann erupted in frustration, and boos rained from Ohio State fans in The Schottenstein Center.

Holtmann reiterated Monday that he deserved the first technical. The Buckeyes’ frontman took issue with the second one, and he said the Big Ten did, too.

“I felt like in some ways the second one was just, it was personal — it felt like that, and I didn’t understand why,” Holtmann said. “I appreciated the Big Ten reaching out and saying that. It still cost us four points. I’ve got to figure out a way to be better in that moment because those were four critical points for us there in that game.

“There was really was no explanation because I couldn’t talk to the specific official.”

Holtmann said that, after you are given your first technical, you’re usually given a warning before a second is assessed.

“You get the first one,” Holtmann said. “And if you continue to argue your point, typically somebody in the officiating crew — maybe it’s not the guy who gave you the technical — will come over and say, ‘Coach, enough. Enough. If you keep on, I’m going to toss you.’ That’s what’s happened every time I’ve gotten a technical. And I’ve gotten a few technicals, so I know how this routine works. It happens every time.”

Holtmann continued: “You typically are given that opportunity. I was not in that moment. And that’s actually what the Big Ten explained and said, ‘Hey, listen, that’s what should have happened.’”

Ohio State was trailing the Badgers, 37-27, at the time of Holtmann’s ejection. It was the second ejection of Holtmann’s six-year Ohio State tenure. He was also ejected with 1.4 seconds remaining in a February 2021 defeat to Michigan State, but Holtmann said he was asking for it that game, which saw him pick up his first technical more than 16 minutes of game time before he got his second.

Associate head coach Jake Diebler took over for Holtmann against Wisconsin, and, bolstered by a 13-0 run down the stretch, the Buckeyes staged a second-half comeback that fell just short.

Ohio State ended up losing, 65-60. The Buckeyes have lost three of their last four home games. And, after Sunday’s defeat at Michigan, Ohio State has now lost nine of its last 10 games overall.

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