The Big 12 Conference will look into the overtime incident, reports Kirk Bohls of the (Austin) American-Statesman.
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As Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News spelled out, the players likely won’t be punished under conference or NCAA rules.
The ejected players rushed to the aid of Texas’ Isaiah Taylor and Baylor’s Royce O’Neale after they tangled at midcourt and fell to the floor. No punches were thrown.
Isaiah Taylor, left, glares at Royce O’Neale. (Getty Images)
“That’s just the competitive nature of the game,” Taylor told reporters afterward, according to the Texas athletic depatment’s website. “My teammates had my back on that play. Unfortunately, some guys got thrown out of the game but just knowing the fight in their heart is there really comforts me. There was a loose ball, I went for the ball, (O’Neale) went for the ball, I got elbowed in the mouth and there was a little bit of a scuffle.”
“I was disappointed the game had to end like it ended, as far as the players coming off the bench, but I think (Texas) coach (Rick) Barnes and I are both pleased that the players on the court maintained their cool and the ones on the bench didn’t do anything that would get them suspended,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said, per Texas’ website. “So that’s a plus, because this time of year you don’t want to lose anybody. Credit everybody for keeping calmer heads prevailing there.”
Taylor’s tiebreaking basket with 4.8 seconds remaining lifted the Longhorns (18-12, 7-10 Big 12) to a needed 61-59 victory in Austin over the No. 14 Bears (22-8, 10-7).
