In the second half of a Saint Louis University basketball game against Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a brawl erupted behind VCU’s bench with two minutes left in the game, halting play for several minutes. SLU ultimately defeated VCU by a score of 78-69 on Tuesday night.
Security first escorted out a middle-aged man in a blue sweatshirt, followed by several others wearing VCU’s black, gold and white. The delay stretched on as security tried to get a handle on the chaotic situation, as multiple factions of fans engaged in the physical scrap across several rows of seats.
The rivalry between these two Atlantic 10 (A10) schools was reignited just a few weeks ago when SLU fell to VCU in Richmond on Jan. 14. Tuesday night’s rematch felt the impact of a thunderous St. Louis crowd, as 6,763 fans packed into Chaifetz Arena, resembling familiar energy of past seasons. VCU has long been a thorn in SLU’s side, and this year, that tension was heightened by the presence of leading scorer — and former Billiken — Phillip Russell.
Russell, a St. Louis native who played his freshman season (2020-21) at SLU under then-head coach Travis Ford, now leads VCU’s offense. Senior Mary Schleuter sat near the scrap, one section over.
“There was a woman who kept screaming, ‘That’s my son! That’s my son!’ behind VCU’s bench alongside what looked like friends and family of the player,” Schleuter said. “She seemed to get aggravated every time the student section waived inflatables and chanted, ‘refs you suck!’”
The student section, located in section 118, was adjacent to the brawl, which took place one section over in 116, behind the opposing team’s bench, where Schleuter said the woman was.
“When VCU did something good, she said something to a guy in a blue sweatshirt. He said something back and then she walked up stairs to the section, climbed over at least four people to stand and yell at him,” Schleuter said. “I think the man grabbed her first and then people began fighting.”
According to Schleuter, the Department of Public Safety and Chaifetz security took a few minutes to reach the scene, but upon arrival de-escalated the brawl. Afterwords, students began chanting “f*ck VCU” and “go home.”
Once play resumed, the Billikens narrowly held onto their lead in the game’s final seconds, with the crowd seemingly distracted by the events that had just unfolded.
SLU freshman, Dane Henderson, said the environment at the game was the best he had experienced this year.
“Not only was it a fun, back-and-forth rivalry game, but the student section embraced the rivalry as well,” Henderson said. “We were not sure what was happening [referring to the scrum] besides the fact that there were more people than I could count laying their hands on one another.”
Freshman Moody Naji also discussed the altercation following the SLU win. Naji recorded the skirmish from his point of view in the second row of the student section.
“In my opinion, violence of that nature has no place at SLU sporting events, or any sporting event for that matter,” Naji said. “While I do have a passion for our teams, fighting will never be something I support and I just hope everyone involved is okay.”
Despite the off-court distractions, the game itself was as physical as anticipated. SLU head coach Josh Schertz and VCU guard, Kobe Johnson, both acknowledged the toughness of the matchup, with Schertz calling it a “pretty physical game.”
SLU committed 11 turnovers, while VCU racked up 14, reflecting the scrappy nature of the contest. Neither team put together significant scoring runs, keeping the outcome in question until the final minutes.
“It’s the loudest I’ve heard it [Chaifetz Arena] all year,” sixth-year senior guard Gibson Jimerson said. Jimerson recorded a game-high 26 points.
SLU released an official statement Wednesday, stating that they have launched an investigation into the extended altercation. SLU Athletics declined the opportunity from the University News for further comment.
“The Department of Athletics, the Department of Public Safety, Oak View Group (OVG) and other campus partners are working together to review safety protocols… at Chaifetz Arena,” the statement read. “Inappropriate comments or actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches or team representatives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from Chaifetz Arena.”
The Billikens return to action on Friday, January 31, against another tough rival: the Dayton Flyers. The game will feature the annual “Billiken Blizzard,” a tradition where fans are encouraged to wear white and pack the stands with fervent energy.
