Obviously, I didn’t watch the game. I noticed the score was 25-4 and figured Bryant was going to run away with the game. And that was accurate.

But the game was marred by a fight that broke out in the stands with a little over 4 minutes in the game. I haven’t been able to find a lot of details, but I read that there was a lot of talk back and forth between the fans of the two schools that eventually led to tempers flaring into a fight. One person has been arrested and the game had to wait over 30 minutes to finish.

I can’t even imagine being down 38 points, just wanting the last 4 minutes to be done, and then having to wait over 30 minutes to wrap up the game because people in the stands started fighting each other.

There should be no space in the game for this. This is not school spirit. This is not showing that you support your team no matter what the circumstances. This is ASSAULT AND BATTERY and is a crime.

Today, in the ACC tournament, Syracuse had a violent act happen when Buddy Boeheim punched Wyatt Wilkes in the lane after fighting for position for a rebound. I get that the game is a physical game. But here was the reaction at the press conference from Syracuse’s head coach and of course, Buddy’s father, Jim Boeheim – “I saw the play, the kid pushed him twice, I think it was inadvertent. It wasn’t much of a punch.”

Are you kidding me? It was inadvertent that he took a swing at Wilkes midsection that hit him so hard that he doubled over in pain and had to leave the game. It was not inadvertent – it should be assault because it is a crime. There is no excuse – so what if basketball is a physical sport. There is no explanation whatsoever that can make it alright to sucker punch a player because you didn’t like how the last play went. And the fact that even the coaches are saying that it is no big deal is why it will continue to happen.

At least the ACC suspended Buddy Boeheim for a game for the flagrant foul. It is ridiculous that the maximum penalty is one game for throwing a punch. But at least the ACC acted in some way.

And this funnels all the way down to our schools and kids. People say it is trash talking and part of the game. There is no part of the game for violence. Sportsmanship matters, and we need to demand better.