College basketball games can get heated, especially conference games. And sometimes that boils over into an off-the-court scuffle, So when the animosity in a tightly-contested game between the University of North Alabama Lions and Austin Peay Governors extended past the final whistle, fans and media alike were left wondering what happened.
Here, we break down the ending of a wild 88-84 North Alabama win.
What Happened at the End of North Alabama vs. Austin Peay
An ASUN clash between Austin Peay and North Alabama looked destined for an upset as the now 8-13 Governors roared back from a 7-point halftime deficit to take a 74-72 lead with less than a minute remaining. Sal Witt hit four-straight free throws and then stole the ball with 45 seconds left.
Austin Peay got an open look that would have made it a 5-point game with 15 seconds remaining, but Anton Brookshire, who played the entire game, missed a 3-poiinter.
A defensive breakdown on the other end of the floor led to a wide open North Alabama layup by Jacari Lane to tie the game with six seconds left. North Alabama then blocked the potential game-winner.
Also See: 1-Seed Update, Jan. 25
In overtime, the Lions got off to a quick start and led wire-to-wire to win, 88-84. But it’s what happened after that is dominating headlines.
Why didn’t Austin Peay shake hands? They just stormed off after that overtime period.
Then someone from their team shoved the UNA AD.
Tony Pujol and his players obviously took offense to that.
Do not like that. pic.twitter.com/pA2NAbMGbF
— Mid-Major Madness (@mid_madness) January 26, 2025
According to several sources, including popular X account Mid-Major Madness, Austin Peay refused to shake hands and UNA’s athletic director got shoved.
Obviously, this wasn’t taken well and resulted in a scuffle between the two teams. According to reports, no one was hurt, and things eventually settled, but it wasn’t a good look.
The teams are going in opposite directions, as Austin Peay is just 3-5 in ASUN play and 4-11 in its last 15. North Alabama is second in the conference, and winners of three-straight.
The frustration was palpable for the Governors, who stormed back from a large second-half deficit, only to allow a wide-open game-tying layup to force overtime.
The two teams play against in less than two weeks, a Feb. 5 meeting in Clarksville, Tenn. Hopefully, we get the same competitive finish, without the extra fireworks.
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