New Mexico State junior guard K.C. Ross-Miller was suspended for two games by the Western Athletic Conference after sparking a brawl between players and fans following the Aggies 66-61 overtime loss to Utah Valley on Thursday.
Fans of the Wolverines stormed the court after the buzzer and Ross-Miller chucked the ball at Utah Valley’s Holton Hunsaker, igniting an ugly confrontation with video showing New Mexico State’s DK Eldrige throwing one punch.
The Aggies coaching staff tried to usher their players off the court and had to pull junior guard Daniel Mullings away from the melee.
The WAC suspended Ross-Miller for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy. Other than taking the loss badly, it’s unclear what set Ross-Miller off or if Hunsaker did anything to provoke him. Hunsaker is also the son of Utah Valley head coach Dick Hunsaker.
"No matter what provoked K.C., what he did was inexcusable and hence the suspension," New Mexico State head coach Marvin Menzies said Friday in a press conference before the suspension was handed down.
"It is an honor and a privilege to wear an Aggie uniform, and a responsibility comes with that privilege.”
New Mexico State and Utah Valley have jostled for first place in the WAC for much of the season and have split their season series. At 11-3 in the conference the Wolverines are one game up following the huge win, and the two sides could meet again in the WAC tournament.
Storming the court has been a tradition in college for decades, but it could now be under serious scrutiny.
"We are currently reviewing several sources of video to accurately assess the situation," Menzies said. "Obviously this was a very unfortunate incident, and I'm hopeful that we can learn from it moving forward."
Utah Valley told ESPN that the campus police and administration are reviewing the incident to if students or any other fans were also involved.
Video New Mexico State, Utah Valley Brawl: K.C. Ross-Miller Suspended For Role In College Basketball Fight
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