It is March Madness after all.
In a tense moment during the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, USC men’s basketball players were involved in an altercation with a Purdue fan following their game against the Boilermakers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The incident occurred as the players were exiting the court after their loss to Purdue.
According to multiple reports, a Purdue fan directed derogatory remarks toward the Trojans players, leading to a heated exchange.
Security personnel quickly intervened to de-escalate the situation, ensuring that it did not escalate further.
Tournament organizers issued a statement following the ordeal.
“There was a verbal exchange near the entrance to the tunnel between members of the Trojans staff and a handful of fans ticketed in courtside club seats who also had access to the area,” the statement read, per the DailyMail.
“The exchange was quickly resolved without escalation, and adjustments have been made to security procedures surrounding that area for the remaining three days of the tournament in order to eliminate overlap between game participants and fans.”
Purdue won the game, 76-71, advancing to the next round of the Big Ten Tournament and playing Michigan on Friday.
Trey Kaufman-Renn led the game with 30 points.
With the loss, USC’s record stands at 16-17.
It’s been an eventful tournament for the Big Ten off the court.
Northwestern coach Chris Collins suggested the conference was “trying to get” his Wildcats after the team stayed in a hotel without functioning air conditioning.