The Texas A&M Commerce men’s basketball team defeated Incarnate Word 76-72 on Monday night. But the real battle between the two teams didn’t start until after the final buzzer.
While the two Southland Conference rivals appeared to initially engage in a display of sportsmanship, their postgame handshake line quickly devolved into an all-out bench-clearing brawl, with players from both teams throwing punches.
Suffice it to say that it was a wild scene — although you might not have known it if you were only listening to the game’s television broadcast on ESPN+. Throughout the altercation, Incarnate Word broadcasting graduate assistants Sam Kaman and Katie Goodman remained remarkably calm while describing the fight that was taking place in front of them.
“This is not good. This is really not good,” Kaman said. “We’ve got punches being thrown. This is really bad. Oh my goodness.”
“Full team fight, coaches in the middle of it,” Goodman added. “I wouldn’t be surprised if someone got a nick on the face there.”
https://twitter.com/thecomeback/status/1759786137206640901
As the footage of the fight proceeded to go viral, many made note of not just the brawl but the accompanying call;. While some felt that their lack of enthusiasm didn’t match the moment, others believed that the contrast in the commentary and the altercation only added to an already absurd situation.
The best/worst part of this are the announcers using their robotic broadcast cadence like they're reading things out of player bios during a blowout https://t.co/zwTTijJ83y
— Brian Pedersen (@realBJP) February 20, 2024
This was the calmest and most casual call of a brawl ever https://t.co/JDyuRTvMj6
— Renato (@RPMSports18) February 20, 2024
https://twitter.com/00Exodus/status/1760000282258485752
A full-on brawl, and the guy calling it sounds like he's announcing a chess match. https://t.co/mqZJrM2gCd
— Dave Feit (@FeitCanWrite) February 20, 2024
Keeping the cameras rolling and the added commentary is hilarious lol https://t.co/TIBO8GfjCU
— Faulkner (@NickFaulkner7) February 20, 2024
Goodman also took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her perspective on what marked her first call on the ESPN+ platform, in addition to providing an update on the fallout from the fight.
“Yes, that’s me on the call. Who knew this is how I’d make my @espn debut, but here we are,” she wrote. “On the broadcast prior to the fight there was a three point buzzer beater to tie up the game. Then another game-winning three to seal the deal in OT for commerce. I thought that’s what would make this game go viral. I was very wrong. Statements have been issued from both the Southland and UIW. No shortage of entertainment here in South Texas.”
https://twitter.com/imkatiegoodman/status/1759805896098550007
To this point, it remains unclear what caused the fight. In a statement, the Southland Conference said that it’s reviewing the matter.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.