The Ohio Valley Conference has taken action in response to the on-court disturbance which occurred during the Tennessee State-Eastern Kentucky men's basketball game, which was held February 10 in Richmond, Ky.

With approximately eight minutes left in the second half, EKU's Shawn Fields and TSU's Cedric Bryson were involved in a bumping and elbowing incident underneath the EKU basket.

The referees immediately stopped play, and assessed flagrant technical fouls against both players. They were both ejected from the game.As the referees were starting to assess the penalties, TSU's Josh Cooperwood placed his arm around the neck of an Eastern Kentucky player, and pulled backwards.

After that, many players from both benches entered the court. In the ensuing disturbance, the game officials indicated that TSU's Bryson, and Eastern Kentucky players Champ Slaughter and Kenyatta Dix had engaged in separate fighting incidents.

Per NCAA rules, all three are suspended for the next game played by their respective teams.OVC Interim Commissioner Ron English has assessed a one-game suspension to Cooperwood for his action. EKU's Sherard Rogers, who was responsible for throwing a box of mini-basketballs at a group of players, was suspended immediately by EKU Head Coach Travis Ford. The players who left their respective bench areas during the disturbance were all suspended for the remainder of that game. After viewing the tape, which showed players standing alone or holding one another, English determined that they did not engage in any fighting activities, and will not assess any further penalties to them.

"However, the coaches are leaders, and it was their responsibility to make sure that those players did not leave the bench area in the first place. Since that did not occur, both head coaches, per OVC policy, have been issued a one-game suspension.

"Joanne Glasser, the president at Eastern Kentucky University, was present at the game, and apologized to Coach Lewis after the contest, and in a phone call later that evening to Tennessee State University president, James Hefner, for the actions that occurred at EKU.