UTEP fans’ clash with Jacksonville State players is under review

Texas El Paso, Jacksonville State and Conference USA will review an altercation that apparently involved a UTEP fan grabbing a chair in a fiery exchange with Jacksonville State players on Saturday.

Jacksonville State had just won the regular season finale at UTEP on a buzzer-beater by Mostafa El Moutawakel when a fan in the stands grabbed a chair and shook it toward Jacksonville State players and staff and yelled at them when they were in the handshake line after the game. Jacksonville State players had to be grabbed by staff after a fan grabbed a chair.

Conference USA spokesman Josh Younes said CUSA is looking into the consequences of the match.

“We are reviewing the incident in conjunction with both (athletic directors), but we do not have a statement at this time,” he told ESPN.

UTEP athletic director Jim Center said the school is investigating the incident.

“We will review the video when we get it,” he said in a statement. “We will take appropriate action as needed.”

Jacksonville State told ESPN it would “defer” to Conference USA for comment.

Both Jacksonville State employees and local police stepped through the dust as the armchair fan continued to yell at the players. Other videos showed other UTEP fans appearing to back down with Jacksonville State players after the win as well.

This wasn’t the first time in recent weeks that UTEP was at the center of a dramatic finale involving a handshake line.

After a loss at New Mexico State on February 21, UTEP coach Joe Goulding confronted NMSU coach Jason Hooten in the handshake line, tapped the opposing coach on the chest and pushed him aside before the two teams converged and a fight nearly broke out.

On Saturday, UTEP arena security formed a line after the game to create a boundary between unruly UTEP fans and Jacksonville State players and staff. At one point, UTEP staff and players directed the team to their locker room and Jacksonville State staff did the same with their team.

According to the broadcast, an exchange between UTEP and Jacksonville State fans was occurring throughout the game.