New Mexico State suspends KC Ross
New Mexico State suspended junior guard K.C. Ross-Miller on Friday morning after his actions sparked a postgame brawl Thursday night.
The incident highlights the continuing problems related to court-storming and fan-player interaction, both of which have been endlessly debated this college basketball season.
With the final seconds ticking off the clock of a 66-61 Utah Valley win Thursday in Orem, Utah, Ross-Miller grabbed the Aggies' inbounds pass and hurled it at Utah Valley senior guard Holton Hunsaker. As that happened, fans were rushing the court - the win put Utah Valley atop the WAC standings - and quickly, the celebration turned into an on-court brawl that included fans and players. At least one New Mexico State player appears to have thrown a punch. According to the Utah Valley's Daily Herald, there were no reports of injuries.
WATCH: Brawl breaks out in WAC game
The school confirmed the suspension in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.
'After reviewing the tape of the game and the events that immediately followed, a decision has been made to immediately suspend K.C. Ross-Miller,' New Mexico State coach Marvin Menzies said in a statement. 'No matter what provoked KC what he did was inexcusable and hence the suspension. It is an honor and a privilege to wear an Aggie uniform and a responsibility comes with that privilege. I will wait until I've had a chance to talk with our conference officials and university administration before any other disciplinary actions may or may not be taken.
BRACKETOLOGY: BLIND TEST: Your chance to be on the committee Projecting the field of 68 COACH'S CORNER: ANALYSIS: Louisville peaking, just as Pitino planned Cincinnati's Mick Cronin
New Mexico State head coach Marvin Menzies and K.C. Ross-Miller from earlier this season.(Photo: John Miller, AP)
'My initial assessment is that we're looking at two separate components, one being KC throwing the ball at Hunsaker and the other being the altercation between the players and the fans who rushed the floor. I would like to commend my staff for their immediate reaction to engage our players and remove them from the floor. We are currently reviewing several sources of video to accurately assess the situation. Obviously this was a very unfortunate incident and I'm hopeful that we can learn from it moving forward.'
The WAC is conducting a full review of the incident, a league spokesman said Friday. WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd was traveling to Cal State Bakersfield (where the Aggies play next) on Friday for a previously scheduled trip and will be meeting with Menzies to discuss what happened.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL
A statement from the conference is expected later Friday.
Thursday's incident highlights again the raises more questions about the safety of court-storming, which has become a hot topic over the last two seasons as it has become fairly common. It poses risks for players and coaches caught on the court in the midst of celebratory fans. It happens moments after a big win/painful loss, creating the possibility for heated exchanges, like what happened Thursday - or, in a similarly dissected player-fan interaction, what happened between Marcus Smart and a Texas Tech fan in Lubbock earlier this month.
Some leagues have fined schools for allowing students to rush the court (or field) in recent years. For most, there is no penalty, and there are varying opinions about how such a thing should be handled.
On Thursday, hours before the New Mexico State-Utah Valley brawl, American Athletic Commissioner Mike Aresco was asked about his and his conference's views and concerns regarding court-storming. SMU fans rushed the court two weeks ago after beating then-No. 7 Cincinnati.
'We talk to our schools about it,' Aresco told USA TODAY Sports. 'At SMU, they hadn't had anything quite that exciting in a long time, so you sort of can understand it. But everybody's really going to work hard to prevent that. You know, you've got to be careful. You can have injuries. You have to make sure the visiting team is protected. Some people have asked, 'Are you going to fine people?' That's certainly not our preference. But we have made it a priority to make sure we don't have (court-storming). It's exciting when it happens; no one is going to argue that it isn't. But on the other hand, it's best not to for reasons of safety and the welfare of the players.'
Post a Comment for "New Mexico State suspends KC Ross"