South Alabama-Coastal Carolina brawl injures ref, forces 8 ejections

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A brawl between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina within the girls’s Sun Belt Tournament on Wednesday left eight gamers ejected and knocked a referee to the ground the place she required medical consideration.

There had been underneath six minutes left within the fourth quarter when South Alabama’s Cordasia Harris and Coastal Carolina’s Tracey Hueston started combating underneath the basket. Harris appeared to bump Hueston barely from behind earlier than Hueston rotated and started pushing and swinging at Harris, who pushed again.

Two referees, a number of teammates and employees members rapidly labored to separate the ladies and a referee was knocked to the bottom within the melee. The referee seemed to be hit within the head or neck space by Hueston whereas making an attempt to push Hueston away from Harris.

The referee remained on the bottom on her again whereas order was restored and a number of employees members and a medical skilled ran onto the court docket to take care of her. A sheriff’s deputy additionally got here onto the court docket after the struggle ended.

There was no instant replace on the referee’s situation.

Hueston and Harris had been each given technical fouls and ejected, together with six different gamers who participated within the struggle.

South Alabama received the sport 80-70.