VIDEO: Greg Gard Doesn't Hold Back on Officiating Issues at Iowa

The University of Wisconsin was in position to close the regular season with its best victory of the season, a boost of confidence heading into the postseason to wash away the missteps from a frustrating month.

But when Iowa’s Keegan Murray fouled Wisconsin’s Brad Davison on the way to the hoop, a replay review changed the momentum of the game.

Davison – a lightning rod for criticism from outside the program – was viewed by the officiating crew of Bo Boroski, D.J. Carstensen and Courtney Green to have hooked the arm of Murray while cutting to the basket. Even though replays show Murray initiated the contact, the play was ruled a double foul and a flagrant on Davison, meaning the Hawkeyes would receive possession of the ball.

Instead of UW down one and on defense, the Badgers were down three with 21 seconds left and couldn’t get closer.

Instead of his usual mild-mannered nature, head coach Greg Gard didn’t hold back his feelings on the officiating, the hook-and-hold rule and the outside viewpoint of Davison. Here is a transcript of what Gard said to reporters.

Opening Statement

I thought we did a lot of good things today. Obviously, the end result we’re not happy with, but I thought we took some steps forward. A lot of areas we can continue to clean up and improve upon, too. The area that I really want to address beginning, maybe people have questions about it, is the mockery that has now been made of the hook-and-hold or any type of thing. It appears to have become a Brad Davison rule where it’s become quite frankly a joke. Anytime there’s a foul or a question, the opponents are yelling to the officials to go to the monitor. I saw the play. If college basketball is headed in this direction, we’re in big trouble. It really sickens me that we have games decided like this and this is where it’s at.

The rule was not put in place for that. That was for the safety of players. It was for post play. Those types of things happen on Every. Single. Possession of the game, specifically in the post. I think it’s really turned into a joke. I feel bad for Brad Davison. The kid is a great kid, plays his ass off, but he continues to get screwed by this and how the officials, the league and opponents have continued to just call that out and put a spotlight on that, it’s become sickening really. It’s made a mockery of college basketball, specifically in the positions we’ve been in.

On if he thought the foul on D’Mitrik Trice was a good call

I saw it live but I got blocked, too, but I have not seen that replay. Obviously, like I said, this isn’t the first time. It’s been three years of this stuff with Brad. It’s constant. It’s unfortunately that’s been pinned on him and now it’s become a weapon. The officials have allowed it to become a weapon for an opponent. I had not seen the Trice foul. I’ll be able to watch it on the bus on the way home. I thought … I won’t say what I thought.

On the explanation he received from the hook-and-hold

(Davison) is trying to catch the pass and actually Murray’s arm has his arm. Murray’s arm is in an L, Brad’s arm is straight, he has to try to catch it with one hand, Murray doesn’t fall down, nobody is in danger of getting hurt. It’s become something that anybody can call out on. They can request the monitor. I don’t think if they keep track of monitor requests but if Brad Davison doesn’t lead the country in it … and that’s why really it’s become a mockery. It’s constantly this. This position, that rule, that should not decide basketball games when it’s that type of play.

On how hard it was to keep the momentum with all the reviews over the final two minutes

We’re going to the monitor all the time. Just need to call the game as it happens. We’re going to the monitor for everything. It’s just like we have an endless pocket full of monitor requests. It’s like you can request it every single time, do anything with it. That’s something that’s got to be addressed because it’s gotten out of hand.

On what he expects to hear from the league, if he cares what they’ll say and if he’s worried about how UW will be officiating in the Big Ten tournament based on his comments

I’m just trying to protect a player that they put a spotlight on him. I’ve asked the league to stop it. They’ve allowed it to get out of hand. The character of the kid now, with what ESPN did with their Wikipedia thing during one of the games we had. ESPN can issue all the apologies they want. The kid is a great kid. He’s done a phenomenal job for our program. He’s been a great representative of this University, and I’m just tired of him constantly being put in that light. It’s got to stop.

I’ll be happy to take a call from the league. They know my number. They know where I’m at, but this has gotten ridiculous where we’ve got TV now putting stuff up with the false Wikipedia page. I got apologies from ESPN, (play-by-play) Bob Wischusen and (analyst) Dick Vitale and the producer and all that. That’s great, but they continue to take shots at the kid. That’s where enough is enough. I’m tired of it, I’m going to call it out when it happens and I’m calling it out today.