A postgame handshake line erupted into a two-team fractures in Fargo when Oral Roberts University men’s basketball coach Paul Mills confronted North Dakota State over some perceived showboating.
The incident took place after Mills’s Golden Eagles fell, 77-59, to an NDSU team that punctuated its victory with an emphatic, celebratory dunk as time expired: Guard Maleeck Harden-Hayes stole the ball from Oral Roberts’ Max Abmas with the game in hand and only a few seconds on the clock before cruising in for an uncontested dunk just after the buzzer.
Although the basket didn’t count, some NDSU players celebrated as if it had, while others lined up to shake hands with the defeated Golden Eagles.
Mills, apparently objecting to the dunk or the celebration, then confronted NDSU players and Bison head coach Dave Richman off screen, which instantly ignited a shoving match.
‘Some interesting words being exchanged here between Paul Mills and Dave Richman,’ one of the announcers said as the cameras shifted to get the postgame skirmish in frame. ‘Mills not happy there at the end of that game. And now some pushing and shoving.’
‘That’s ridiculous,’ the other announcer responded.
A postgame handshake line erupted into a two-team fracas in Fargo when Oral Roberts University men’s basketball coach Paul Mills confronted North Dakota State over some perceived showboating
Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills (left), apparently objecting to the dunk or the celebration, then confronted NDSU players and Bison head coach Dave Richman off screen, which instantly ignited a shoving match. At the center of the fray appeared to be North Dakota State’s Boden Skunberg (right in December), who could be seen taunting and pointing at a member of the Oral Roberts coaching staff that is believed to be Mills
The incident took place after Mills’s Golden Eagles fell, 77-59, to an NDSU team that punctuated its victory with an emphatic, celebratory dunk as time expired
Oral Roberts’ 6-foot-7 forward Elijah Lufile (pictured) made multiple attempts to attack NDSU
At the center of the fray appeared to be North Dakota State’s Boden Skunberg, who could be seen taunting and pointing at a member of the Oral Roberts coaching staff that appeared to be Mills.
The situation escalated quickly when Oral Roberts’ 6-foot-7 forward Elijah Lufile forced his way to the front of the action and was eventually subdued by a trio of teammates.
Undeterred, Lufile attempted to run around the throng of bodies to re-enter the melee, but was ultimately tackled by another teammate.
The video does not clearly show any punches being thrown, nor does it explain why Lufile was ‘incensed,’ as one of the announcers described him.
Lufile attempted to run around the throng of bodies to re-enter the melee, but was ultimately tackled by another teammate
When contacted by DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Oral Roberts, an evangelical school in Tulsa, referred to a statement released by Mills on Twitter
The Summit League, the NCAA conference in which both teams play is investigating the incident and released a statement, has not yet told DailyMail.com
One of Lufile’s ORU teammates needed to tackle him to stop him from re-entering the fight
When contacted by DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Oral Roberts, an evangelical school in Tulsa, referred to a statement released by Mills on Twitter:
‘I am very saddened about what transpired at the conclusion of our game tonight v NDSU. ORU nor NDSU want to be represented in a negative light. Dave Richman & I have spoken & I have the utmost respect for the Bison program. Congratulations to the Bison on a dominant performance.’
Mills was upset over a last-second dunk by NDSU’s Maleeck Harden-Hayes (pictured)
The Summit League, the NCAA conference in which both teams play is investigating the incident and released a statement, a has not yet told DailyMail.com.
North Dakota State did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment, but Richman did speak after the game.
‘You see the emotions of the game. You saw two teams playing until the end and some things spilled over,’ Richman said, as reported by InForum’s Mike McFeely, ‘That’s not anything that I want this program to be a part of. There are situations that are going to be learning experiences for myself and our group as we move forward.
‘Anything from our end, I will apologize to Oral Roberts and coach Mills. But I also asked our guys to play until the end and we played to the end tonight.’
With the win, North Dakota State move into second place in the Summit League with a 12-4 conference record. Oral Roberts now sits in third place with a 11-4 in-conference mark. South Dakota State leads the Summit League at 15-0.
Head coach Dave Richman of the North Dakota State Bison looks on during his team’s game against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles at Scheels Center on February 14, 2019 in Fargo
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