Talk about a weird sequence in Thursday’s UC Santa Barbara-Hawaii game.
Hawaii coach Gib Arnold had just gotten a technical foul when a UCSB fan sprinted onto the court from the student section and got into his face on the sideline before backpedaling and challenging a Hawaii player to a fight.
“It was a little crazy to have a fan pushing your players around. I’ve never seen it. You don’t expect it,” Arnold, a 22-year coaching veteran, later said in a postgame TV interview. The man, who wore a UCSB Class of 2014 T-shirt, was later arrested after being ushered off the court.
Hawaii, which lost 86-77, was trailing 30-16 with 6:02 left in the first half when guard Brandon Spearman was called for an intentional foul. Arnold argued with the refs as he and an assistant came onto the court. That’s when the fan ran onto the court. Players pushed the fan away before security escorted him off the court.
More from ESPN.com:UC Santa Barbara spokesman Bill Mahoney said the man, who the school believed was a student, was arrested by campus police. Mahoney, who did not identify the fan, said he could face discipline and could be expelled if he is a student.
“Historically when things like this happen, the student, who was arrested, would go in front of Judicial Affairs, which is part of Student Affairs,” Mahoney said in an email to ESPN. “The extent of his punishment would be speculation, but I would doubt it will be mild.”(Video via @CoachBarney)
