Six ejected after fight forces 20-minute delay in St John’s-Providence basketball game

• Police enter court amid fracas sparked by hard foul

• Coach Rick Pitino holds back players as tempers flare

Six players were ejected from Saturday’s college basketball game between No. 17 St John’s and Providence after a fracas resulting from a hard foul by Friars forward Duncan Powell on Bryce Hopkins sent the Red Storm star crashing to the ground.

St John’s coach Rick Pitino, who led Providence to the 1987 Final Four, was in the middle of it, trying to hold back his players. But several entered the fray as it drifted toward the Red Storm’s visitors’ bench.

The game was delayed by nearly 20 minutes while the referees sorted out the punishments: four St John’s players were booted and two from Providence, and by the time the Friars got the ball back they had watched a one-point lead turn into a four-point deficit.

The Red Storm won the game 79-69 after the fracas. They led by as many 13 points in the first half, but Providence rallied in the second to take a series of one-point leads and had a 40-39 edge with 14:25 left when Hopkins – who played three seasons in Providence – went up for a fast-break layup and was raked across the head and face by Powell’s arm, taking him to the ground.

Hopkins got up and moved toward Powell but was held back and guided away by his former teammate, Friars forward Oswin Erhunmwunse. Others in the game got involved and the players from the nearby St John’s bench couldn’t be held back any longer.

The pushing and shoving continued while coaches, referees and security tried to break it up. Police were sent on to the court to prevent further escalation, and the TNT broadcast reported that a fan was kicked out of the Amica Mutual Pavilion arena for getting involved in the melee.

During the delay, players for both teams warmed up at their baskets. As the referees updated the coaches on their decision, the fans broke into a chant of “Duncan Powell!”

Providence guard Jaylin Sellers was led down the tunnel to cheers from the crowd; he was soon joined by Powell. St John’s Dillon Mitchell, Ruben Prey, Sadiku Ibine Ayo and Kelvin Odih also were ejected. Continue reading...