Issues took a dramatic flip within the Grand Canyon State on the finish of the Arizona-Arizona State recreation Saturday.
With 30.7 seconds left within the second half of the intrastate rivalry matchup, which noticed Arizona win 81-72, Wildcats guard Caleb Love and ASU guard BJ Freeman had been each ejected after the latter head-butted his Arizona counterpart.
Love exchanged phrases with Freeman close to the basket whereas Arizona State managed the ball within the waning seconds, with Freeman then head-butting Love.
Love needed to be held again by teammate Carter Bryant earlier than being tossed from the sport.
After a evaluation, officers gave Freeman a tech and an ejection for the head-butting.
As soon as the sport ended, ASU head coach Bobby Hurley advised his gamers to depart the courtroom, skipping the postgame handshake line.
“Proper close to our bench, it was relentless, fixed chatter from a few Arizona’s gamers that wasn’t being policed correctly,” Hurley advised reporters after the sport. “In fact, they’re going to be pleased with profitable, nevertheless it was finished with no class, in my view.”
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd was in settlement with Hurley by additionally pulling his gamers from the courtroom.
Nevertheless, he took a a lot softer strategy after the sport.
“Clearly, it’s disappointing, most likely on all sides,” Lloyd stated, per ESPN. “When robust issues occur, we wish to be a program that responds with class, and I don’t know if we did or didn’t. Nevertheless it was a troublesome second in an emotional recreation. I’ve obtained loads of respect for Bobby and Arizona State’s gamers.”
The technicals issued to Love and Freeman had been part of 4 complete techs handed out by officers throughout Saturday’s affair.
Hurley was hit with a technical halfway by the primary half for arguing with referees over a foul known as on Solar Devils guard Adam Miller.
The irate coach even ripped his tie off within the course of.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley was additionally issued a technical late within the first half for staring down the ASU bench following a layup that tied the sport.
Arizona would later draw back with the lead within the second half to win by 9.
The 2 face off once more on March 4 in Tucson.