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Both teams finish with seven players combined
Associated Press
RICHMOND, Ky. -- Nineteen players were ejected following a bench-clearing brawl that overshadowed Eastern Kentucky's 89-72 win over Tennessee State on Monday night.
The fight began with 8:13 to play and Eastern ahead 72-58. Eastern's Shawn Fields had the ball when a hard foul was called on Tennessee State's Cedric Bryson; players from both benches poured onto the floor.
"It was just complete chaos,'' Eastern Kentucky coach Travis Ford said. "Nobody really knows what happened.''
Eastern sports information director Karl Park said videotape from the game was being overnighted to Ohio Valley Conference Acting Commissioner Ron English, who will review the footage and determine whether suspensions are warranted.
Bryson, Fields and Eastern's Kenyatta Dix and Champ Slaughter were ejected for fighting, while nine players from both teams were ejected for leaving the bench. The rest of those who were playing when the fight started also were ejected.
The NCAA automatically suspends players one game if they have been ejected for fighting.
The game resumed with four players on each side and ended with seven players on the court after Tennessee State's Jeremy Jackson fouled out.
Ford wasn't happy with the decision to finish the game with eight players.
"I didn't think that was legal,'' he said.
Jon Bentley finished with a career-high 32 points for the Colonels (10-12, 4-7 OVC). Bentley also had 10 rebounds
Eastern jumped to a 10-0 lead and never trailed, while Tennessee State (2-20, 0-11) got no closer than four the rest of the way.
Matt Witt followed Bentley with 14 points, while Mike Scott added 13 for Eastern.
Garrett Richardson led Tennessee State with 24 points, Jackson added 13 and Adrian Pritchett had 10.
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