Myron MedcalfMar 7, 2026, 08:04 PM ET
Close Covers college basketball
Joined ESPN.com in 2011
Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato
Multiple Authors
UTEP, Jacksonville State and Conference USA will review an altercation that appeared to involve a UTEP fan picking up a chair in a fiery exchange with Jacksonville State players Saturday.
Jacksonville State had just won its regular-season finale at UTEP on a buzzer-beater by Mostapha El Moutaouakkil when a fan in the stands grabbed a chair, shook it toward Gamecocks players and staffers, and yelled at them when they were in the postgame handshake line. Jacksonville State players had to be held by back by staffers after the fan grabbed the chair.
Conference USA spokesperson Josh Yonis said the league is looking into the aftermath of the game.
“We are reviewing the incident in conjunction with both [athletic directors], but we do not have a statement at this time,” he told ESPN.
UTEP athletic director Jim Senter said in a statement to ABC on Sunday that the school will “review and implement new policies for next basketball season.”
“We have been evaluating the video of these events that occurred during the post-game handshake between UTEP and Jacksonville State,” Senter said. “We have talked with several people to include the person who picked up the chair. While that act was alarming there were many more individuals involved who were saying things to one another that shouldn’t be said. We will take further action as appropriate.”
Senter added that he reached out to Jacksonville State coach Ray Harper to apologize.
Jacksonville State told ESPN that it would “defer” to Conference USA for comment.
Jacksonville State personnel and local police stepped into the dustup as the fan with the chair continued to yell at the players. Other videos showed other UTEP fans appearing to go back-and-forth with Jacksonville State players after the win too.
It wasn’t the first time in recent weeks that UTEP has been at the center of a dramatic finish involving a handshake line.
Following a loss at New Mexico State on Feb. 21, UTEP coach Joe Golding went nose-to-nose with NMSU coach Jason Hooten in the handshake line, tapped Hooten’s chest and pushed him aside before both teams converged and a fight nearly ensued.
On Saturday, arena security formed a line after the game to create a boundary between rowdy UTEP fans and Jacksonville State players and staffers. At one point, UTEP staffers and players directed their team back to its locker room, and Jacksonville State staffers did the same with their team.
According to the broadcast, exchanges between UTEP fans and Jacksonville State had been happening throughout the game.