Losing in the final seconds stings.
For Doug Gottlieb, the pain was sharp and emotional. His University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men’s basketball team, up 11 points with less than four minutes remaining, fell 80-78 to Robert Morris on a last-second layup.
With the defeat, Gottlieb’s frustration boiled over: He paced the sideline, threw his hands in the air and even tossed a chair against a wall as he left the court.
Gottlieb, also known for his booming radio voice, is not your typical college basketball coach. He is a strategist who has spent his life navigating both the court and the microphone, balancing the intensity of the game with the art of storytelling.
His first year at Green Bay was an ambitious experiment. While keeping his job as a nationally syndicated radio show host, he took on the role as head coach of a Division I basketball program. The 2024-25 season proved to be a whirlwind of lessons and setbacks, ending with just four wins and 28 losses.
Doug Gottlieb chair toss 🚨
Green Bay lost to Robert Morris on a last second layup 👀 pic.twitter.com/hCkcmPW8IH
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) December 5, 2025
Despite the challenges, Gottlieb’s dedication stands out. He arrives at the gym brimming with energy, reviews game film late into the night, texts players at odd hours and gets involved in every aspect of the program — from getting laptops for his players to defensive schemes for the team.
His first-year trials — introducing complex concepts to an inexperienced team, a grueling schedule and losing key players — were matched by a candid honesty and a genuine drive to improve, as reported by The Athletic earlier this year. Players respect him, even as critics weigh in from the outside.
The pressure reached a peak in Thursday night’s game against Robert Morris. Green Bay (4-6) controlled the contest until the final minutes, only to see its lead vanish. A late rally, a critical 10-second violation and a last-second basket by Nikolaos Chitikoudis sealed the defeat.
Exhausted and frustrated, Gottlieb threw a chair as he exited the court. After the loss to Robert Morris, he owned the outcome.
“That was just embarrassing how we lost the game,” Gottlieb said, referencing the 10-second violation and the final moments. He acknowledged communication issues and a need for discipline but also defended his team: “We’re actually a good basketball team … but we played like idiots at the end of the game.”
Another Horizon League men’s basketball coach also expressed some frustrations after a game this week.
Oakland (Mich.) University head coach Greg Kampe blasted his school’s student section for not attending games.
Hasn’t even been 2 seasons since the greatest moment in program history… That building should be ROCKING every game, especially with how impressive this years team is. pic.twitter.com/JTxvzJ9FxS
— Brad Demattia (@braddemo) December 4, 2025
“Our student section is terrible,” Kampe said Wednesday night after his Grizzlies defeated Purdue Fort Wayne. “And if you don’t like it, too bad. ESPN called our student section the best mid-major student section in the country, and where are they?”
Oakland (4-5) faced nationally ranked Michigan, Purdue and Houston in consecutive games, losing all by double-digit margins. However, the Grizzlies have won three games in a row.
In the 2024 NCAA Tournament, No. 14-seeded Oakland stunned No. 3-seeded Kentucky 80-76 in a first-round game. Kampe, who is in his 41st season at Oakland, is the longest tenured coach in college basketball.