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Did Buzz Williams’ technical cost Marquette?

Buzz Williams

Marquette head coach Buzz Williams, left, argues with a referee after his technical foul during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgetown, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, in Washington. Georgetown won 63-55. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

AP

There are a couple of standards rules that every journalist has ingrained in their consciousness from the first day they open up their computer and launch a blog on Wordpress:

- There’s no cheering on press row.

- The team name is singular. The nickname is plural: Kansas lost its third straight game because the Jayhawks missed all their shots.

- If Buzz Williams gets a technical foul, you ask him about it in the press conference.

The latter happened on Monday night, and as you might expect, Williams provided every hack in the room with some gold:

“I was trying to get my average up on technicals,” Williams said. “This is my 162nd game in the Big East and I’m averaging one every 50 games. So I felt like I needed to get one because I haven’t had one in two years. That was my fifth technical since I’ve been here. I think any time you get a technical, it’s a bad time.”

(It’s worth noting here that Williams has five technicals in 164 games, so his math is a bit off. He’s getting one every 33 games or so.)

“If you average one technical per year in a BCS league, I think you’re probably doing OK. I think we have the best officials in the country. I was just hollering at somebody that would respond. We can make a big deal out of it if you want. I got a technical. I’m sorry. I may get a technical again next year. That’s my average. It’ll probably be on the road. If you want me to, I can tell you who has given me the technicals. I’ve gotten five technicals, three by one guy and one by one guy and one by another guy. That’s a pretty good ratio.”

The problem with the technical that Williams got on Monday is that it turned out to be the difference-maker.

Marquette had cut a 10 point halftime lead to just three, holding a Georgetown offense that got into a rhythm at the end of the first half to four points in eight minutes, when Williams got T’d up. Georgetown would get two free throws and a layups from Otto Porter on the possession pushing their lead to seven points. That lead would end up getting extended to 15 points, and the Golden Eagles never threatened again.

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.