The Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech Red Raiders butt heads, marking a new high in tension during their history of face-offs.
Tuesday’s game was no ordinary altercation between old rivals in the Big 12, ending in a stunning 81-69 win for the Longhorns.
An incident involving Texas forward Brock Cunningham and Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams further stoked tensions during the game.
Cunningham’s hard foul on the Red Raider, which included a bodied bump, led to elevated tensions between the two sides.
This intense situation was under review while fans in the stands began to show their displeasure.
Full water bottles and other debris rained down on the court, sparking the ESPN broadcast team to spotlight the disruption.
The foul garnered Brock Cunningham a flagrant 2 ejection. the spectators at United Supermarkets Arena followed suit.
The ejection sparked anger among Texas Tech fans, leading to an escalation of the unruly behavior.
It is one thing to cheer for your team, and another to create a ruckus that interferes with the game.
Recognizing the escalating disorder, Texas Tech Coach Grant McCasland felt compelled to interfere.
With a mic in hand, he addressed the unruly crowd, urging them to maintain order and respect the play.
“Listen to me, it’s gotta stop. It’s gotta stop,” McCasland said. “Nothing else on the floor. Am I clear?”
Wild scene in Lubbock.
Texas's Brock Cunningham is assessed a Flagrant 2 and ejected.
Unhappy Texas Tech fans throw things on the floor, leading to an administrative technical on the Red Raiders.
This prompts coach Grant McCasland gets on the mic to tell them to stop. pic.twitter.com/VikSnGrZaz
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) February 28, 2024
The downfall of the chaos didn’t just reach Cunningham. Texas Tech was also slapped with a technical foul as a team due to the actions of their fans.
Rules are rules, and the Red Raiders paid for the uncontrollable actions of their fans.
I count 6 officers carrying out a Texas Tech student/fanpic.twitter.com/B8Zt3NWOpl
— Collin Wilson (@_Collin1) February 28, 2024
Despite the intense atmosphere, the Texas Longhorns held their ground.
They bagged an imposing victory, led by Brock Cunningham who managed nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block before his ejection.
This victory has them looking at their next challenge, ready to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Austin on Saturday.
