The 2024 SEC national championship for women’s basketball on March 10 should have been an exciting affair for everyone involved. The No. 1-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks faced off against the No. 2 Louisiana State University Tigers, which counts rising stars Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson among its ranks, for college basketball’s biggest title. But what should have been an exhilarating match-up descended into chaos by the end of the night.
It all happened toward the end of the game after South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley stole the ball from LSU’s Johnson with just two minutes left. Johnson grabbed her in response and was issued an intentional foul. On her way back to the bench, Johnson bumped into South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins, prompting Watkins’ teammate Kamilla Cardoso to step in and shove Johnson to the ground.
Tension began to escalate on the court and both teams jumped up from the bench to get involved, with many trying to hold their teammates back from fighting any further. After the dust settled, Cardoso was ejected from the game, along with five other players who left the bench area in the heated moment: South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts, Tessa Johnson, and Sakima Walker, and LSU’s Aalyah Del Rosario and Janae Kent.
