Hard foul by Duncan Powell sparks brawl, multiple ejections in St. John's–Providence game
A brutal, late hit on former Friar Bryce Hopkins by Duncan Powell set off a benches-clearing brawl Saturday afternoon ET in downtown Providence. The melee led to multiple ejections, a lengthy video review and a temporary police presence on the court as officials worked to regain control.
Sequence that ignited the altercation
The incident unfolded in transition early in the second half when Bryce Hopkins drove the left wing for a layup. As Hopkins rose, Providence's Powell met him at the rim with a forceful, diagonal takeout that sent Hopkins to the floor and drew an immediate intentional-foul signal from the officials. The play was subject to an on-court video review with 14: 25 to play in the second half.
Immediate reaction: shoves, punches and arrests avoided
Hopkins jumped up and pushed Powell, and players from both benches quickly converged. Shoves escalated into punches in some spots, then officials and team staff separated the players. Police officers came onto the floor to help prevent further escalation and to secure the scene before play resumed. Broad commentary in the broadcast booth noted how the situation could have been far worse; one commentator observed, "As bad as it was, it could've been a lot worse. "
Ejections and inconsistent counts
Officials handed out ejections in the aftermath. Duncan Powell was assessed a Flagrant 2 and tossed. Providence guard Jaylin Sellers and St. John's forward Dillon Mitchell were also ejected. There was disagreement among postgame tallies over the total number of players removed: some tallies listed three ejections while other accounts put the number as high as six, with several St. John's players named among those removed in later summaries. Additionally, Providence's Jamier Jones was later ejected after a separate pushing incident on a fast break.
Game delay, review and resumption
Play was halted for roughly 19 minutes while officials reviewed the sequence and assessed penalties. Once decisions were finalized and the arena floor cleared, the game resumed. The stoppage followed established protocols for flagrant-contact reviews, and officials used the break to ensure all on-court personnel were safely separated before restarting the contest.
Hopkins' return to Providence and broader context
The hard foul came in Hopkins' return to the arena where he starred for three seasons before transferring. Hopkins is in his first season with St. John's and has averaged 13. 8 points and 5. 6 rebounds this year. St. John's entered the contest among the nation's top-ranked teams and had been riding a long winning streak in conference play; Providence used the matchup as a measuring stick in league standings. The charged atmosphere was amplified by Hopkins' familiarity with the venue and his history with the Friars.
What to watch next
Expect league review of the incident and potential supplemental discipline beyond the in-game ejections. The teams and the conference will likely examine video to determine further penalties or suspensions tied to any punches thrown or escalation after the initial contact. Both programs will also deal with the fallout on the court as they resume conference play in the days ahead.
Note: the sequence that started this game-day eruption centers on duncan powell's hard foul and the immediate reactions that followed, which will be the focus of any continued disciplinary review.
