Tensions tend to escalate in a good rivalry game on the basketball court. Unfortunately, those tempers flaring between No. 8 Virginia State and Elizabeth City State came to a boil that resulted in a brawl between players and fans rushing the court. The images of the brawl overshadowed a close win for Virginia State. The fracas spilled over into the stands, similar to the infamous Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers game in Detroit featuring Ron Artest.

The game was played at Virginia State’s multipurpose arena and various video clips surfacing online seem to show only players from Elizabeth City exchanging blows with others. What led to the brawl is still unknown

Here is another view of the action from the floor level behind the basketball net as the brawl carried over into the stands.

Despite the hashtag used in the above tweet, it was ECSU players shown fighting in the stands. However, they were apparently fighting with VSU students.

Questions will be raised about the level of security at the game, but you can be sure the next game between these two rivals will see some form of increased security.

Without knowing exactly how it all started, we can probably all agree that verbal jabs from fans in the stands will always be in play for the road team in any sporting event ever, but there should be a fine line between the heckling and doing or saying anything that leads to a brawl at the end of a night.

[HBCU Gameday]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.