South Alabama, Coastal Carolina women's teams brawl with each other, but referees take brunt of punishment

A second-round matchup during the Sun Belt Conference tournament turned lively for all the wrong reasons on Wednesday afternoon.

South Alabama and Coastal Carolina were locked in a tense affair, filled with spills and thrills. Partway through the fourth quarter, though, carnage swept across Pensacola Bay Center, as an in-game joust left eight players ejected and one referee sprawled out on the floor.

Here's what you need to know about the Jaguars and Chanticleers' eye-catching brawl.

South Alabama vs. Coastal Carolina brawl

With 5:38 left in the fourth quarter of South Alabama and Coastal Carolina's Sun Belt tournament clash, bodies spilled onto the floor. Chanticleers forward Tracey Hueston and Jaguars forward Cordasia Harris got into a fracas, with the latter barking at the former, resulting in matching technical fouls.

The referees traipsed onto the court. But they weren't quick enough to stop Hueston from throwing a punch at Harris. The shot appeared to connect with referee Ryan Durham.

Another referee, Marla Gearhart, raced onto the scene. But as she attempted to separate Harris and Hueston, she got caught by a flailing arm.

Gearhart fell to the court, sprawling on the ground before coming to her senses. South Alabama medical personnel assisted her as the madness subsided.

South Alabama and Coastal Carolina got into a fight in the Sun Belt Women’s Tournament and a ref got KNOCKED OUT 😳😴 pic.twitter.com/cnfrRxQY9C

Harris and Hueston were ejected from the contest, as were six other players. The Jaguars went on to win the game, 80-70, booking their ticket to the next round of the conference tournament.

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Who were the referees that got hit in the South Alabama-Coastal Carolina brawl?

Three referees worked Jaguars clash with the Chanticleers. They were Durham, Gearhart and Tommi Paris.

Durham took the first shot to the face, absorbing an apparent punch from Hueston. Gearhart took the worst damage of the day, crumbling to the ground after being caught by a stray shot while attempting to wrestle Hueston away from Harris.

South Alabama -- Coastal Carolina ejections

All told, eight players were ejected from the South Alabama vs. Coastal Carolina game. Among those ejected were the following players:

• South Alabama F Cordasia Harris
• South Alabama G Amyah Sutton
• South Alabama F Daniela Gonzalez
• Coastal Carolina F Tracey Hueston

Will South Alabama and Coastal Carolina players be suspended?

It's hard to imagine a circumstances where the likes of Harris and Hueston avoid suspension. They were at the heart of the spat that led to Gearhart's injury. The Jaguars advanced courtesy of their win, meaning Harris will likely have to miss out on South Alabama's next game. The suspension could be lengthier should the Jaguars continue to move on in the tournament.

It's worth noting that both Harris and Hueston are graduate seniors. As such, their eligibility is set to expire following the conclusion of this season, ensuring that any time away from the floor will only last until the end of this season. With neither the Chanticleers nor the Jaguars on pace to make the tournament, the bans likely won't last too long, especially for those caught in the periphery of the action.