After PSU men’s basketball lost 76-63 to No. 1 Purdue at Philadelphia’s Palestra Sunday night, coach Micah Shrewsberry spoke his mind.
He wasn’t happy about his team being outscored 45-26 in the second half, and wasn’t happy with the officiating, either.
In his postgame press conference, Shrewsberry vented.
Penn State basketball Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry comments on Big Ten officiating and technical foul. pic.twitter.com/oQmXjVR41m
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He had no issue with Purdue, who he said, “kicked our asses.”
He has plenty of issues with the officials, and let that be known after he was asked about a technical foul he picked up late in the game.
“No, there wasn’t a point I was trying to make,” Shrewsberry told reporters. “There were a thousand points I was trying to make. You get frustrated after a while. This isn’t a one-time thing, this is an every time thing.”
Shrewsberry hasn’t been a Big Ten head coach for long, and understands that he doesn’t have the pedigree of somebody like Michigan State coach Tom Izzo or his old boss, Purdue’s matt Painter.
“I haven’t done anything in my career to earn any kind of goodwill from the officials,” Shrewsberry said, “but we shot three free throws. I know (Purdue) shot seven. It was a really physical game. Both teams were out there fouling. If we want to be the best league in the country, then we need our officials to be the best in the country.”
Shrewsberry has only gotten two technical fouls in 47 games as Penn State’s coach. The first came last season in a win over Michigan State at the Bryce Jordan Center. He said he has no problem picking up a technical if he feels he needs to to stick up for his program.
“I’m not there cussing anybody out,” Shrewsberry said. “I’m not saying anything, but I get frustrated. Like, don’t call the game one way and then call it a different way in the second half. Call a foul if you see a foul. And you know what, this might hurt me when we get to Indiana because somebody’s feelings is hurt because I’m saying this, but I’m gonna fight for my guys. Always. Always gonna fight for this program. I don’t care what anybody thinks about that at all. We’ve got big time refs coming into this league and doing different things.”
Shrewsberry pointed out that, in Penn State’s game at Michigan this past Wednesday, an official didn’t even know his name.
“Call me by my right name, he said. “Don’t come here in the Palestra and treat me like I don’t know basketball, treat me like I can’t see the game, like I don’t understand the game.”
This was Shrewsberry’s second time coaching against his former school, Purdue, and boss, Matt Painter. Before becoming the man at Penn State, Shrewsberry spent a total of four seasons over two stints (2011-13, 2019-21) assisting Painter in West Lafayette. Shrewsberry is 0-2 against Purdue as Penn State’s head coach and will have another chance to beat the Boilers Feb. 1.
Shrewsberry is hoping for a better performance from the officials, for that game an every game, and for more respect for PSU men’s basketball.
”I get frustrated, man,” he said. “I’m gonna fight for my guys. I am always gonna fight for my guys. If I gotta get a tech, I gotta get a tech. If I gotta get kicked out, I gotta get kicked out. I am going to fight for my guys. I gotta fight for this program to get some frickin’ respect.”
