Brawl at Sun Belt Game Injures Referee and Forces Ejections

A recent women’s Sun Belt Tournament game between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina took a wild turn when a brawl broke out. Eight players got ejected, and a referee ended up injured.

This all happened with less than six minutes left in the fourth quarter. The chaos has sparked a lot of debate and controversy in the college basketball world.

The Incident: What Happened?

It started under the basket with South Alabama’s Cordasia Harris and Coastal Carolina’s Tracey Hueston getting physical. Harris bumped Hueston from behind, just a little, and Hueston spun around, pushing and swinging at Harris.

Harris shoved back, and suddenly the whole thing exploded into a mess on the court. Players and staff scrambled to pull them apart.

Efforts to Restore Order

Two referees, plus a bunch of teammates and staff, rushed in to break it up. In the middle of everything, referee Marla Gearhar got knocked down and apparently took a hit to the head or neck from Hueston.

Gearhar stayed on the floor while people tried to get things under control. Staff and a medical professional checked on her, and a sheriff’s deputy came out after the fight was over.

Immediate Consequences

After the dust settled, both Hueston and Harris received technical fouls and got tossed from the game. Six other players who joined the fight were also ejected.

Hueston was suspended for the rest of the 2026 postseason. Harris, along with Amyah Sutton and Daniela Gonzalez, got a one-game suspension each.

South Alabama’s Response

South Alabama Athletics Director Joel Erdmann didn’t hide his disappointment about the whole thing. But he also questioned the officials’ decisions, saying their internal review didn’t find all three South Alabama players’ actions rose to the level of “fighting” by NCAA standards.

He pointed out that these judgments took away valuable postseason opportunities from the athletes. It’s tough for the players who lost their chance to compete because of this call.

Impact on the Tournament

Even with all the drama, South Alabama came out on top, winning 80-70. They’re set to face Texas State on Thursday.

Still, the fight definitely put a damper on the win and stirred up questions about sportsmanship and player behavior in college hoops.

Referee Marla Gearhar’s Condition

Medical staff checked on Marla Gearhar at the arena, and she was released soon after. The conference said she’d been hit in the head or neck but didn’t suffer any serious injuries.

Everyone’s relieved she’s okay, but honestly, it’s a reminder of how risky things can get for referees in heated moments.

Broader Implications for College Basketball

This brawl is a pretty stark example of how intense college basketball can get. Emotions run high, and sometimes things just boil over.

Physical fights like this are rare, but when they happen, they affect players, coaches, and officials alike.

Preventing Future Incidents

So how do you stop this from happening again? Teams have to stress self-control and respect—no way around it.

Coaches play a huge role in teaching those values, and officials need to stay sharp to keep games fair and safe. It’s not easy, but it matters.

Conclusion

The brawl at the women’s Sun Belt Tournament game between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina really shook things up for players, officials, and fans. It was a mess, honestly, and probably not something anyone wanted to see.