Five players and three fans were ejected from Thursday night's explosive game between Southern Miss and Arkansas State after a massive brawl broke out during the first half.
The chaotic scene, which included players and coaches falling to the ground and throwing several punches, caused a major 23-minute delay in the second quarter as officials scrambled to identify those involved and remove them.
The altercation appeared to escalate when Southern Miss forward Asjha Leake, who was not in the game at the time, was seen jumping from the sidelines and dragging Arkansas State's Emma Emefepor to the ground by her neck.
The incident, which an ESPN announcer described as “getting ugly,” took an even more disturbing turn when several fans left their seats to join the on-field melee.
Amid the turmoil, Southern Miss's assistant coach, Jessica Barber, fell and became entangled under a pile of conflicting players.
The event led to a long delay as officials reviewed the footage to assess the situation and determine appropriate actions to be taken against those involved.
According to the Hattiesburg American, Barber asked for help getting to the locker room and made it back after halftime using crutches.
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