Chaotic scenes marred an exciting basketball game between Texas A&M-Commerce and Incarnate Word.
After Texas A&M-Commerce defeated Incarnate Word 76-72 in overtime on Monday night, punches were thrown and a violent brawl broke out.
It appears that a fistfight broke out during the handshake line after the match.
It is unclear what sparked the fight, which lasted approximately two minutes while coaches from both teams attempted to control the situation.
As the scene began to unfold, several Incarnate World players were backing away toward the bench area, as if they were starting to head to the locker room.
Punches began to be exchanged as both teams brawled near the bench area, then the fight spread to the center of the court.
“It’s a full team battle. The coaches are in the middle of it,” said one ESPN+ broadcaster. “I wouldn’t be surprised if someone got a cut on their face there.”
“This is not what you want to see after a great match,” added another. “Everything is going on right now.
Another scuffle broke out away from the main scrum, with players from both teams rushing to help their respective teammates.
At one point it came dangerously close to the stands where spectators were still seated.
One announcer said during the broadcast that someone in the crowd was “injured or hit,” but it’s not very clear in the video if or when that happened.
She then described a “young girl” who was punched, and another broadcaster added that one of the team’s managers was “bleeding down his face.”
Eventually order was restored and both teams were allowed into their locker rooms.
Players on both teams are sure to receive some heavy penalties in the Southland Conference showdown.
