Things got heated between the USC men’s basketball team and some University of Purdue fans at the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday following the Trojans’ 76-71 loss to the Boilermakers in the second round. The incident occurred near the entrance to the tunnel, where a verbal exchange took place between members of the Trojans’ staff and a few fans who had courtside club seats and access to the area.
Big Ten spokespersons confirmed that the situation was quickly resolved without further escalation, but it has led to security changes for the remainder of the tournament. These adjustments are aimed at preventing similar incidents by eliminating overlap between players and fans in certain areas.
Though the exact nature of the security changes has not been disclosed, tournament organizers are making efforts to keep the focus on the game and avoid any further off-court conflicts.
USC declined to comment on the incident, and the Boilermakers are set to take on Michigan in a Friday night match with a spot in the semi-finals on the line.
