What was one of the more exciting games of Saturday in the SWAC was marred by a late-game brawl between Bethune-Cookman and Mississippi Valley State.
Near the end of Bethune-Cookman’s 45-35 win over the Delta Devils in Itta Bena televised live on HBCU GO, an altercation broke out near the bleachers in the final seconds of regulation that involved players and coaches from both teams.
Video of the incident was captured by The Mic Magazine MIC TV.
Following the game, journalist Angela Buckner spoke with Wildcats head coach Terry Sims, who said it all started when members of the B-CU football team went over to the Mississippi Valley State band area to pose for a photo to gloat over the win.
Sims said the act was in retaliation for Mississippi Valley State players making a similar gesture during last season’s matchup between the team.
“I guess their guys (Mississippi Valley players) got upset and started throwing punches,” Sims said. “My guys are not innocent because they retaliated. We have to make sure we don’t retaliate when something happens. “We have to have more class than that. We have to be more discipline than that.”
Sims said no one on the team sustained any injuries and apologized to Delta Devils head coach Vincent Dancy about what transpired.
“I know he’s not that guy and he knows I’m not that guy,” he said.
Dancy was briefly shown in a YouTube video in the aftermath of the altercation denying the fight was a result of animosity between himself and Sims.
It is unclear how many players were part of the scuffle.
Neither coach addressed the incident during the SWAC coaches media call on Monday. HBCU Sports did reach out to the SWAC office to determine whether an investigation would be conducted. The league has not provided a response as of Monday afternoon.
