Exit. Multiple technical fouls. A fan throws debris onto the court. Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland got on the microphone and told fans to stop throwing things.
A new chapter in the Texas vs. Texas Tech rivalry took place Tuesday night at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock.
“It has to stop,” McCasland said over the microphone. “There's nothing else on the floor.”
Tensions boiled over when Texas Longhorns forward Brock Cunningham was assessed a flagrant 2 foul and was ejected from the game. At 10:17 into the second half, Cunningham bodychecked Texas Tech sophomore guard Darrion Williams near the half-court scorer's table as both players chased a loose ball. A shoving match ensued involving players from both teams.
After Cunningham was ejected from the game, fans at United Supermarket Arena began booing loudly. They started throwing things on the court. ESPN's broadcast showed six police officers escorting spectators from the arena. The referees charged Texas Tech with an administrative technical foul for a fan throwing debris onto the court.
This caused McCasland to stand at the microphone to calm the hostile crowd.
“Anything thrown on the floor will result in a technical foul,” McCasland said.
Texas defeated Texas Tech 81-69, handing the Red Raiders their third loss in their last four games. After the game, McCasland said he took to the microphone not only to address the entire crowd, but also to speak to “a few people who were doing something completely unacceptable.”
“Unfortunately, I thought a few people's decisions affected everyone,” McCasland said.
The Longhorns are 18-10 and sit in seventh place in the Big 12. Dylan Diss led the Longhorns in scoring with his 21 points.
Cunningham had nine points and seven rebounds before being ejected. As he ran off the court to a chorus of boos, he blared the “Hook'em Horns” signal to the Texas Tech crowd. It's a fitting end to the tumultuous showdown between Texas and Texas Tech.
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(Photo: Annie Rice/USA Today)
