 "Photo: Ken Muir")
With fouls being called incessantly during Texas Tech's loss to Texas A&M on Saturday, Tech coach Pat Knight asked his coaching staff if he needed to get thrown out of the game to show his disdain for the officiating.
Since he already went down that road against Nebraska Jan. 31 when he ran onto the court twice and was ejected, eventually receiving a public reprimand from the Big 12 Conference - the coaching staff thought better of it.
Instead, Knight proved his point by lashing out at the officials during the press conference despite knowing a fine or suspension would be headed his way, he said.
Knight was right.
The Big 12 Conference responded Monday by suspending the first-year head coach for one game, meaning he will not coach Wednesday's game against Texas in Austin. Instead, assistant coach Stew Robinson will be doing most of the coaching, Knight said, with help from associate head coach Chris Beard.
"I told my staff after the press conference I'd probably be suspended for a game because we have a protocol that you aren't allowed to say anything about the referees," he said during Monday's Big 12 teleconference. "I broke that protocol during the press conference.
"Sometimes you gotta lay on a grenade to get your point across."
Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe said Knight's comments were a violation of the Big 12's Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Rules. In addition, the reprimand after Knight's tirade against Nebraska served as a warning, so Beebe saw Saturday's act as a punishable one.
"I am disappointed that coach Knight committed this violation soon after a Jan. 31 incident during the Texas Tech game against Nebraska for which he was publicly reprimanded," Beebe said in a statement released by the Big 12. "I was extremely lenient in that case and chose not to suspend coach Knight. The nature and extent of his comments after the Texas A&M game, and his callous attitude in light of his commitment to me to abide by the rules require a serious penalty."
Knight received a technical Saturday for arguing with the referees about a foul called on guard John Roberson at the 4:48 mark in the second half.
Roberson fell to the ground after going for a defensive rebound against 6-foot-10 forward Bryan Davis. After Roberson was called for the foul, Knight stepped out to midcourt to argue with the officials. He even scooped up the basketball and held it behind his back away from the officials for a little while.
With four of his players fouling out and A&M shooting 51 foul shots compared to Tech's 22, Knight let loose in the press conference on several occasions.
"I don't care right now what the Big 12 thinks," he said Saturday. "They tell us we gotta send tapes in and that obviously doesn't work. Call so-and-so, talk to them, it's just tough. I don't care about me, my kids bust their butt. They have enough of a time playing against A&M let alone having somebody else they have to play against."
Now Tech will travel to Austin and play against the Longhorns and referees without its coach.
Tech forward Robert Lewandowski said Knight's motivational techniques will be missed, but he still has confidence in a group of assistant coaches that preach the same philosophy.
"Adjusting to that won't be a huge deal because we all know what he wants for us and we all want the same thing and that's winning," he said. "It'll be the same message from a different voice. It should be all right.
"No one wants to be in a game without their head coach, but at the same time I guess it'll just be an experience, and it'll just be one more challenge that we have to face."
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