West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins was reprimanded by the Big 12 Conference on Thursday for comments he made about officiating after the Mountaineers' loss at Kansas last Saturday.
"There are proper channels within the conference structure to handle officiating concerns," Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a release. "Coach Huggins' public comments are contrary to the conference's sportsmanship standards."
Free-throw disparity in the game won 77-69 by the Jayhawks was at the heart of Huggins' comments. Kansas attempted 35 free throws to the Mountaineers' two.
"I've been doing this for 40 years, and I don't think I've ever been in a game where we shot two free throws," Huggins said after the game. "I don't think I've ever been in a game where the disparity was _ (asks a reporter) what is it, you know what it is _ 35-2."
Huggins said he was miffed that points of emphasis discussed before the season weren't being called, and also wondered why officials weren't available to speak to the media in a postgame session.
"You sit there at the beginning of the year and they tell you, 'We're going to call this' and (say they are going to) put emphasis on stuff, then do it. Don't do it for a while and then stop, put your own spin on it and do it.
"Officials want to be part of the game but they don't want to be part of the game that has to answer," Huggins said. "Why aren't they in here answering your questions? We're going to bring 19, 20, 21-year-old kids in here who don't get paid, and you're going to ask them questions."
Asked what he told his team after the game, Huggins said, "It wasn't their fault."
In the game, West Virginia was called for 26 fouls and Kansas 14. The West Virginia bench received two technical fouls and Huggins was ejected with 8 seconds remaining.
