Bryant Wins NEC Championship But a Fight in the Stands Dampens Celebration
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Bryant has secured its first-ever trip to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament in a stunning victory over Wagner in the NEC championship game. However, a fight between fans in the stands dominated headlines Wednesday morning as players and fans reacted to the shocking violence.
Bryant’s star player Peter Kiss continued his hot streak, scoring 34 points and retaining his lead as the highest-scoring college basketball player in the US. The Bulldogs beat the Seahawks in a shocking 70-43 rout, bruising Wagner’s ego and leaving many fans bitter over what could have been.
A fight between fans behind the Wagner bench broke out late in the second half. A contingent of Wagner students seated near a group of Bryant fans egged each other on throughout the tense match. The atmosphere became violent with only 4:37 remaining in the game, and a noisy brawl erupted throughout the stands near the court.
Local police arrived to break up the fight and to haul off some of the combatants. No players from either team made their way into the stands to join the chaotic scuffle, but Wagner guard Will Martinez was ejected from the game after officials saw him attempting to move into the stands. Officials and teammates had to restrain several people on the court to keep them from wading into the brawl.
Bill Smith, the athletic director for the Bulldogs, had to implore the crowd to not rush the court until after the game concluded. Bryant was well ahead of the Seahawks by the time the fight broke out, and eager fans felt the outcome was a forgone conclusion.
“I didn’t see any of it — how any of that thing started,” Smith told The Providence Journal following the game. “All I knew is we needed to finish the game in a first-class manner. Get both teams back on the court, shake hands at the end and finish the game.”
Bryant’s stunning 22-9 campaign sets the Division I record for most wins in a single season. Peter Kiss’s performance was exemplary, and he finishes regular season play with an astounding record. Kiss has scored over 24 points in 13 of his prior 17 games. What’s more, he’s managed to secure over 30 points on 10 different occasions this season.
Kiss will lead the team to their first-ever NCAA Men’s tournament, and fans are eager to put the chaotic contest with Wagner behind them as they look ahead to a possible championship run.