The Sun Belt women’s basketball tournament in Pensacola was moving toward a routine finish Wednesday night until the closing minutes turned into chaos. What started as a minor bump in the paint between two players suddenly exploded into one of the wildest scenes of the college basketball postseason. Punches were thrown, benches emptied, and in the middle of it all a referee was knocked flat on the court.
When the dust settled, eight players had been ejected, a game official required medical attention, and South Alabama still somehow walked away with a win over Coastal Carolina.
South Alabama Vs Coastal Carolina Brawl Knocks Referee To The Floor
Woah!
One ejection for Coastal and SEVEN for South Alabama, including 3 starters.
Craziness in Pensacola!!! pic.twitter.com/dpBu2YfmWM
— Sun Belt Syndicate (@SunbeltSyndicat) March 4, 2026
The fight erupted with about five and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter of the Sun Belt Tournament second round game. South Alabama held a 64-55 lead and appeared to be in control of the matchup.
Under the basket, South Alabama forward Cordasia Harris and Coastal Carolina forward Tracey Hueston became tangled after a rebound attempt. Harris appeared to bump Hueston from behind while jockeying for position in the paint. Hueston immediately turned around and began pushing and swinging.
Harris responded and the confrontation escalated within seconds. Officials rushed in to separate the two players, but the scuffle quickly grew as teammates and staff moved toward the scene.
During the scramble, one of the referees stepped between the players to break up the altercation. As Hueston continued to swing while being restrained, one of the blows appeared to catch the official in the head or neck area.
The referee went down immediately and remained on the floor on her back while players were pulled apart.
Referee Marla Gearhart Receives Medical Attention After Melee
The moment the official hit the floor, the entire tone inside the arena shifted. Trainers and staff members rushed onto the court while players were escorted away from the pile near the basket.
Referee Marla Gearhart remained down for several moments as medical staff checked on her condition. A sheriff’s deputy also stepped onto the court while order was restored.
The game paused while officials ensured she could safely leave the floor. There was no immediate update on her condition, though another official eventually helped finish the game once play resumed.
Video of the sequence quickly spread online, with the clip of the referee being knocked down becoming the defining moment of the tournament’s early rounds.
Eight Players Ejected After Sun Belt Tournament Fight
Once the officials reviewed what happened, the disciplinary decisions were extensive.
Tracey Hueston of Coastal Carolina and Cordasia Harris of South Alabama were both ejected for fighting. Six additional South Alabama players were also thrown out of the game for leaving the bench area during the altercation.
Under NCAA rules, leaving the bench during a fight results in an automatic ejection even if those players do not throw punches.
The mass ejections created a bizarre finish to the game, leaving South Alabama with a severely reduced rotation for the final minutes.
Despite the chaos, the Jaguars managed to hold their lead and secured an 80-70 victory to advance in the Sun Belt Tournament.
Sun Belt Tournament Suspensions Could Impact South Alabama
The victory may come with a heavy cost for South Alabama moving forward in the tournament.
Players ejected for fighting typically face an automatic one game suspension under NCAA rules. That could sideline several key Jaguars players for the next round, including starters involved in the altercation.
The Sun Belt Conference may also review the incident to determine if additional disciplinary action is necessary.
For Coastal Carolina, the loss ended their tournament run, but the brawl quickly became the bigger storyline from the night.
Sun Belt Tournament games rarely produce moments that dominate social media across the college basketball world. A late game fight is unusual enough. A referee getting knocked to the floor in the middle of it guarantees the clip will circulate far beyond the conference.
Instead of being remembered for South Alabama’s advancement, the Pensacola matchup will likely be remembered as the night a Sun Belt tournament game turned into a full blown courtside brawl.
