Iowa's Adam Woodbury says Wisconsin eye pokes were inadvertent
After an 82-50 loss at Wisconsin on Tuesday, Iowa center Adam Woodbury denied that he intentionally poked Badgers players Frank Kaminsky and Nigel Hayes in the eye.
The apparent eye poke of Hayes came in the first half, while the incident with Kaminsky came in the second half.
Woodbury also appeared to elbow Wisconsin forward Duje Dukan in the head in the second half, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. No fouls were called on any of the three plays in question.
The incidents gained additional attention after ESPN broadcaster Dan Dakich, who was calling the game, criticized Woodbury on air.
“If I was [Wisconsin coach] Bo Ryan I would send that video into the Big Ten office and ask that Woodbury get suspended,” he said during the telecast. “There is no rhyme or reason for that. That is complete garbage.
“When you do that, you are doing that on purpose to a completely defenseless player. It is one thing (when) you and I go up for a rebound and I knock you and whatever…
“But you’ve got the basketball and you are completely defenseless. And it is gutless as well. And he is doing it on purpose. You can say he’s not and everybody can get mad at me all you want but he’s doing it on purpose and it needs to stop and the Big Ten office needs to discipline the kid.”
On Wednesday, Woodbury said the eye pokes were accidental and offered an apology.
Iowa coach Fran McCaffery also defended Woodbury after the game and refuted Dakich's accusations.
“There’s absolutely no way Adam Woodbury did that on purpose,” McCaffery said, according to The Cedar Rapids Gazette . “Dan Dakich is completely out of line. He crossed the line. He is out of line. He’s not right, it was an accident. Adam Woodbury would never, ever, ever do that. EVER do that.”
The loss dropped Iowa to 13-6 and 4-2 in Big Ten play, one game behind conference leaders Wisconsin and Maryland (both 17-2, 5-1 Big Ten).
- Mike Fiammetta
