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Jacksonville State basketball players get into heated clash with fan after win over UTEP

Jacksonville State Gamecocks men's basketball players got into an incident with a UTEP Miners fan at the end of their buzzer-beating victory.

U.S. NewsBy James CrawfordMarch 8, 20263 min read

Last updated: March 30, 2026, 7:44 PM

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Jacksonville State basketball players get into heated clash with fan after win over UTEP

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Jacksonville State Gamecocks men’s basketball players were seen in a heated confrontation with a UTEP fan following the end of their final regular-season game on Saturday night.

The incident occurred at the end of handshakes between the Gamecocks and Miners players. The game itself came down to the wire with Jacksonville State defeating their Conference USA opponent as Mostapha El Moutaouakkil hit the buzzer-beating 3-pointer for the win.

Conference USA logo shown on the floor before a college basketball game between the Liberty Flames and Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Liberty Arena on Feb. 27, 2025 in Lynchburg, Virginia. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

The ESPN broadcast showed one fan in a white UTEP sweater pointing and yelling at Gamecocks players. Jacksonville State guard Jaye Nash was seen confronting the fan with benches and chairs in between the two men. Another woman also got involved in the shouting.

Somehow, the incident escalated even further with the fan picking up a chair in his one arm. Jacksonville State basketball personnel were trying to calm the situation down. UTEP players stepped in trying to get security down to the floor.

The referee holds the ball during the first half between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the McNeese State Cowboys in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Delta Center on March 21, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Conference USA is looking into the incident.

"We are reviewing the incident in conjunction with both [athletic directors], but we do not have a statement at this time," a league spokesman told ESPN.

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UTEP athletic director Jim Senter said the school would "review the video" when they grab it. Jacksonville State said it would "defer" comment to Conference USA.

It’s unclear what sparked the incident. ESPN broadcasters said during the game some fans should have been kicked out of the gym long before the fracas erupted.

A Wilson official NCAA Evo NXT basketball with the March Madness logo approaches the rim and the net. The action takes place at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas, on March 19, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

The Conference USA men’s basketball tournament begins Tuesday.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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James Crawford

National Correspondent

James Crawford is a national correspondent covering breaking news and domestic affairs across the United States. With over a decade of experience in investigative reporting, he has covered major stories from Capitol Hill to Main Street. His work focuses on the policies and events that shape American life.

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