Postgame brawl breaks out during handshake line at college basketball game

A handshake line devolved into a brawl Monday night after Texas A&M-Commerce’s tight victory over Incarnate Word.

The Lions won 76-72 in overtime in San Antonio, then all hell broke loose, with “good game” exchanges turning into shoving and swinging.

During the dispute, multiple players threw punches at each other. Coaches and noncombatant athletes worked to break up the fight. Broadcasters at the game said a girl in the stands was hurt and a team manager ended up with blood on his face.

Players pushed and chased each other around the court in the melee, which lasted more than a minute.

“There is no place in college sports for such actions,” the two schools said in a joint statement. “The unsportsmanlike conduct that occurred after the game does not reflect the values of the universities involved, as well as the Southland Conference and their member institutions. The matter is currently being reviewed collectively by the conference office and both institutions as the safety of our student-athletes, staff and fans is our primary concern.”

On social media, some fans believed the descriptions of violence were overstated, noting that this brawl was no “Malice at the Palace,” referring to the NBA’s Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons fight in 2004.

“Wasn’t exactly a fight. A lot of lunging, dancing and being pulled back,” one commenter wrote on X. “A lot of fake tough guys embarrassing themselves.”