Kevin Willard assessed technical despite call going for Maryland vs. Ohio State

Wade-Peeryby:Wade Peery•03/01/23

Maryland head basketball coach Kevin Willard was called for one of the stranger technical fouls of the college basketball season on Wednesday evening against the Ohio State Buckeyes. With 12:43 remaining in the first half, the call happened right as the Terrapins were starting to build some momentum. Ohio State guard Eugene Brown III drove the ball in the lane, and appeared to be fouled by a Maryland defender, but the problem was he clearly traveled before the contact was made. In anticipation of the call by officials, Willard stepped out onto the floor and mimicked the traveling call with his hands. Shortly after that, officials decided to give him a technical foul, and there was plenty of confusion as to why it was given. Not only could Willard not figure out why he was hit with a technical, but the broadcasters on the Big Ten Network couldn’t figure it out either.

“He’s looking bewildered. There was some confusion. And that’s gonna send Ohio State to the line for two free throws,” the broadcasters for the Big Ten Network said. “That’s just bizarre to see him get a tech on a call that went their way. (Laughs). Extremely strange. I hope we can get a clarification, because I would love to know what the logic is behind the technical foul.”

We might not get an explanation on the reason for the technical on Willard until the post-game press conference. Plenty of people on social media were puzzled as to why the call was made as well.

Following the call on the Maryland head coach, Ohio State drilled two free throws that gave them an 18-9 lead with just under 13 minutes in the first half. The Buckeyes currently lead the game by double digits with less than 14 minutes remaining in the second half.

There will clearly be no love lost between Willard and the Big Ten officials on Wednesday night, because he got into a verbal exchange with one of them in the second half, before his players intervened and held him coach back from escalating the situation.