Inside the Article:
Youngstown State athletic department officials are reportedly investigating an incident that occurred after their win over Detroit Mercy on Thursday night. Following the game, some pieces of trash were thrown onto the court from the student section as Detroit players were walking off. One piece of trash landed at the feet of Antoine Davis, who was the target of heckling throughout the game as he chased college basketball's all-time scoring record. Gerald Liddell, a teammate of Davis, picked up the trash and threw it back into the student section. The incident led to a verbal altercation between Davis and Dwayne Cohill during the handshake line postgame, followed by a heated exchange between players from both teams at midcourt.
Key points
- YSU athletic department is investigating a trash-throwing incident after their win against Detroit Mercy.
- Pieces of trash were thrown from the student section onto the court as Titans' players were walking off.
- Antoine Davis, who was chasing college basketball's all-time scoring record, was the target of heckling throughout the game.
- Davis' teammate, Gerald Liddell, threw the trash back into the student section.
- There was a verbal altercation between Davis and Dwayne Cohill during the handshake line postgame.
- There was a heated exchange between players from both teams at midcourt.
Horizon League tournament game ends in ugly incident
The incident following the game between Youngstown State and Detroit Mercy highlights the need for respect and sportsmanship in college basketball. The trash-throwing incident and subsequent verbal altercations are unacceptable and detract from the positive aspects of college sports. It is important for athletic departments and players to take responsibility for their actions and promote a culture of respect and fair play.
Youngstown Athletic Director Issues Apology to Detroit Mercy
According to The Detroit News, Ron Strollo, the athletic director at Youngstown State, stated on Friday that he is actively searching for video evidence of the trash-throwing occurrence, and has reached out to media outlets for assistance. Although The News does not possess any footage of the incident, Strollo is also looking into reports of verbal harassment directed towards Detroit Mercy's players and staff.
“On behalf of Youngstown State University and the department of intercollegiate athletics, I would like to apologize for the behavior exhibited by our students and spectators following last night's Horizon League men's basketball quarterfinal game against Detroit Mercy,” Strollo said in a statement put out by the school Friday afternoon. “The events of last evening do not reflect the values of our community, institution or athletic department.
“Any action not in line with those values will not be tolerated. Disrespect at any level is never condoned. The use of inappropriate language, throwing objects on the court and any other harassment of visitors at Beeghly Center is something we take very seriously. We hold our campus events, and more importantly, the safety of its participants as the highest priority. To that end, we are conducting a full review of the situation and will enact additional game management and security protocols as necessary.
“I personally apologize to our president, the YSU Board of Trustees, Horizon League commissioner Julie Roe Lach, the University of Detroit Mercy and its department of intercollegiate athletics.”
