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Tensions flared in a second-round game of the Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball tournament between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina.
A fight broke out with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter and a referee inadvertently fell to the ground. The official remained on the court in visible discomfort for several moments while the medical staff provided help.
The game’s other referee called a double technical foul, leading to eight ejections, most of them from the South Alabama squad.
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The Sun Belt logo at midcourt 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 toward Harris, causing coaches and players from both teams to run onto the court.
“Well, first of all, our program never wants to be 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 between LSU and Texas on March 8, 2025, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“With young people, sometimes emotions are intense, and as they go through their process of growth and maturity, sometimes things happen. But we always try to look at it as a lesson learned and make sure that next time, if we find ourselves in a similar situation, we respond a little differently. And that’s what we’ll talk about in the hotel tonight.”
Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Pederson described the situation as “unfortunate” and added, “I know Tracey Hueston regrets it. She’s an incredible model citizen off the court and she knows she can’t act that way. That was extremely frustrating for everyone, certainly something we don’t condone in this program. It’s nothing you want to see. You hate to see that in your last game.”
Pak Gazette 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 on March 12, 2015. (Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
South Alabama won Wednesday’s game, 80-70, advancing to the third round to face Texas State.
The ejected players could face a one-game suspension, but their status for Thursday remains uncertain.
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