Lady Jags advance in Sunbelt tourney, but brawl sidelines 3 key players - NBC 15

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MOBILE, Ala. (NBC 15) — (NOTE: Due to copyright reasons with ESPN, who owns the video of the game, we are unable to post the game video or excerpts from it online.)

Photographs posted Wednesday afternoon of the USA women's basketball team at the Sunbelt Conference showed a moment of jubilation and pride... a celebration of a 10-point victory over Coastal Carolina in the Sunbelt tournament in Pensacola, sending the Lady Jags to the third round.

But it followed a fourth quarter brawl that sent a referee to the floor and to the doctor, sent 8 players to the locker room and dealt a serious blow to the Jag's chances against its next opponent, Texas State.

"You know, with young people, sometimes emotions run high and as they go through their growth process and their maturity, sometimes things happen," said Jags coach Yolisha Jackson.

Contact between USA's Cordasia Harris and Coastal Carolina's Tracey Hueston appeared to have triggered a reaction from Hueston, who took a swing at Harris and that sent the ref to the hardwood.

Harris , Hueston and six South players who rush on court to separate the two were all ejected.

Coach Jackson will make it a teachable moment.

"But we always try to look at it as a lesson learned and make sure the next time that if we are put in a situation that that we just respond a little differently. And so that's what we'll talk about um at the hotel tonight."

Something else they're sure to talk about is the fallout from the fight.

Wednesday night, the Sun Belt Conference announced Harris, along with teammates Amyah Sutton and Daniela Gonzales are suspended for Thursday's game with Texas State... leaving South without it's three top scorers.

As for Coastal's Tracey Hueston, she's out for any post season activity, period.

" I know Tracy Houston regrets that," said Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Pederson. "She's an incredible model citizen off the

floor and uh she knows she can't act that way and that that was extremely frustrating for everybody. Um certainly something we don't approve of in this

program. Um it's nothing you want to see. You hate to see that in your last game. Um but I felt like our girls came

out and competed."

Wednesday night, South Alabama Director of Athletics Dr. Joel Erdmann addressed the on-court confrontation and suspensions in a released statement, saying in part-

"The University of South Alabama does not condone fighting under any circumstance. The incident that took place during Wednesday’s game is extremely unfortunate and unacceptable. We will use this as an opportunity to learn and grow in our efforts to become better in the future."

But then, Erdman expressed his displeasure with the suspension, saying-

"However, after an extensive internal review, I do not believe the actions of all three of our student-athletes rose to the level of being classified as fighting as defined by the NCAA rule book. This judgment has negatively impacted the tournament experience of our suspended student-athletes and stripped them of limited opportunities to compete in the post season. Though I strongly disagree with the judgment of the officials, we will accept the decision from the Sun Belt Conference and turn our focus to supporting coach Jackson and her team in tomorrow’s tournament game against Texas State.”

As for the conference, this:

"The Sun Belt considers this matter closed and will have no further comment."

And about that referee who found herself flat on the floor?

This word from the Sunbelt Conference:

"Official Marla Gearhart, who left the game due to injury, was evaluated by medical personnel at the Pensacola Bay Center and was released."

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