A conference tournament game in the Ohio Valley Conference between the UT Martin Skyhawks and the SIU Edwardsville Cougars got extremely heated on Thursday, resulting in a wild sucker punch that caught the attention of many college basketball fans.
The altercation occurred in the first half after a made shot from the Cougars. UT Martin forward Rifen Miguel fought hard to get in position for a rebound, which SIU Edwardsville player DeeJuan Pruitt clearly took exception to.
The two were then tangled up as they walked down the court for the next possession. This led to Pruitt taking a vicious swing at Miguel, connecting and spurring a wild altercation between the two teams.
Here is everything that happened that led up to DeeJuan Pruitt throwing one of the worst sucker punches that you'll ever see in SIU-Edwardsville vs. UT Martin. Hopefully Rifen Miguel is ok. pic.twitter.com/I0l4QfXSMi
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 3, 2023
Luckily the officials on hand were able to separate the two teams before anything got even worse between the two sides. The play stopped to review the altercation. Rifen Miguel, DeeJuan Pruitt, and UT Martin player Jalen Myers were all ejected for their part in the melee.
It’s very rare that a college basketball game gets this violent. Many took to social media after the incident to offer their take on the situation.
DeeJuan Pruitt from SIU-Edwardsville just clocked Tennessee-Martin’s Rifen Miguel with a right hook in an Ohio Valley quarterfinal matchup, resulting in three ejections.
Somehow, UT-Martin is the team that gets two players ejected while only Pruitt is ejected for SIUE. pic.twitter.com/vYJShEEggd
— David Cobb (@DavidWCobb) March 3, 2023
Nobody wants to listen to me but the ridiculous summer AAU culture is taking over college hoops… call me all the normal names but we see it every night
Punch to the face leads to 3 ejections in UT Martin-SIUE – via @ESPN App https://t.co/XzGO0QQOSh
— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) March 3, 2023
Throwing a sucker punch and then running away? https://t.co/DJJw2vnR9n
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) March 3, 2023
OH MY GOODNESS.
Brawl at the OVC Tournament Quarterfinals between SIU Edwardsville and UT Martin, and this punch connected.
— Jake Marsh (@PMTsportsbiz) March 3, 2023
Despite being down two players after this incident, UT Martin went on to win the game and advance in the OVC conference tournament.
This altercation is certainly a costly one for UT Martin. NCAA rules state that players are to be suspended one game if they are ejected for fighting. Both Rifen Miguel and Jalen Myers were ejected, meaning that they will both be suspended for the team’s conference championship game on Friday against Tennessee Tech.
To clarify: NCAA rules state players will be suspended for a game if they are ejected for fighting.
UT Martin’s Rifen Miguel and Jalen Myers both suspended for tonight’s game while SIUE’s DeeJuan Pruitt will miss the first game of next season. https://t.co/b0oxsREWgZ
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 3, 2023
[The Field of 68 on Twitter] Photo Credit: ESPN
