While the Northeast Conference Championship Game between the Bryant Bulldogs and Wagner Seahawks lacked in on-court drama, there was plenty of it in the stands.
Bryant blew out Wagner 70-43 and will go to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Near the end of the game, some drama began to unfold in the seats right behind the Wagner bench.
The incident involved fans, as well as players, with Wagner’s Will Martinez trying to get into the crowd. Martinez was ejected, fans were cleared out, and the game was delayed for 25 minutes.
A chaotic scene involving fights in the stands during the Wagner-Bryant NEC title game (which Bryant won).
There was a 25-minute delay. pic.twitter.com/bYEkU7W1YF
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) March 9, 2022
— No Context College Basketball (@ContextFreeCBB) March 9, 2022
The tensions were high before the game. When the Wagner players got off of their team bus, Bryant fans were seen yelling at the Seahawks players, including shouting obscenities at Martinez.
Naturally, everything that happened had fans — including people who were present — reacting.
https://twitter.com/keri_adolfson/status/1501386821779050497
I’ve gotta say the Bryant Bulldogs fans are the worst and most disrespectful fans in college basketball. The AD told y’all to wait until Wagner got off the floor before storming the court. But what do y’all do? Y’all decide to bullrush everyone. Like really? Y’all are terrible
— Jermaine Jackson (@jackson5_95) March 9, 2022
March Mayhem https://t.co/8IGidPKLPi
— SAID. (@ScedCaintPaint) March 9, 2022
Everyone at the Wagner-Bryant game needs to get a job
— Seton Hall Student (@sacketology) March 9, 2022
Not that there's a reason for these people to fight at a basketball game but why did they have the Wagner family and friends sitting in the middle of the Bryant student section in the first place?
— Mike (@MikeBCSN) March 9, 2022
Bryant knows what their crowd is like. They’re nuts. Makes for a great home court environment. But it is insanely stupid to have student seating literally next to the Wagner team seating in a game where you know tensions will run high.
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) March 9, 2022
Bad enough you're getting beat by 36, but now you've got to worry about your players and fan's safety. Tough night for Wagner. https://t.co/VIFJCBcPSZ
— Coach Bryan (@DrB365) March 9, 2022
The Bryant-Wagner fiasco some people are making comps to Malice in the Palace… but Malice in the Palace was a much larger scale. Ron Artest was giving fans mean right hooks, and sure a Wagner player got into the student section but he wasn't the instigator. https://t.co/oAyOB63iyT
— Dan Wilkins (@dwilkins92) March 9, 2022
That’s true; it may not have quite rivaled what we saw in 2004’s Malice at the Palace. Still, this is not a good look for anyone involved. It’s a lack of foresight, decency, and common sense all rolled up into one package.
There’s something to be said about conference tournament games being played at the higher seeds home venue. Smaller conferences will have a harder time filling neutral-site venues. Additionally, it rewards teams for having a superior regular season.
But when incidents like this happen, neutral sites look a lot better.
[Photo Credit: ESPN]
