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Tensions boiled over in the second round of the Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball tournament between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina.
A brawl broke out with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter and a referee was accidentally knocked to the floor. The official remained on the field in visible discomfort for several moments as medical personnel provided assistance.
The game’s second official assessed a double technical foul, leading to eight ejections, most of them from South Alabama’s roster.
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The Sun Belt logo at midfield during a game between Arkansas Little Rock and South Alabama at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans on March 12, 2015. (Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
South Alabama’s Amyah Sutton, Daniela Gonzalez, Saneea Bevley, Terren Coffil, Princess Okafor Nweze and Jeriyah Baines were reportedly among the Jaguars ejected, while Coastal Carolina’s Tracey Hueston was also ejected.
The altercation began after Coastal Carolina’s Hueston and South Alabama’s Cordasia Harris exchanged words in the paint. The situation escalated when Hueston appeared to throw a punch at Harris, prompting coaches and players from both teams to rush onto the field.
“Well, first of all our program, we never want to be put in that situation. And we never want to act like that. So we don’t condone what happened today. It’s a very unfortunate situation for two talented basketball teams that played in Pensacola in the tournament,” South Alabama coach Yolisha Jackson told reporters after the game.
A ball falls through the net during an SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament game between LSU and Texas on March 8, 2025 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“With young people, sometimes emotions run high, and when they go through their growth process and their maturity, sometimes things happen. But we always try to look at it as a lesson and make sure that next time if we’re put in a similar situation, we just react a little bit differently. And so, that’s what we’re going to talk about in the hotel tonight.”
Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Pederson described the situation as “unfortunate,” adding, “I know Tracey Hueston regrets it. She’s an incredible model citizen off the floor and she knows she can’t act like that. It was extremely frustrating for everybody, certainly something we don’t condone in this program. It’s not something you want to see in your last game.”
Pakinomist Digital reached out to the Sun Belt Conference for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
The Sun Belt Conference logo during a game between Arkansas Little Rock and South Alabama at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans March 12, 2015. (Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
South Alabama won Wednesday’s game, 80-70, and advanced to the third round for a matchup with Texas State.
Ejected players could face a one-match ban, but their status for Thursday remains uncertain.
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