VCU left with 4 players after late fracas with SLU

A thrilling comeback by No. 18 Saint Louis in its 88-75 win over VCU on Friday night was overshadowed by a fight at the end of the game that left the Rams with only four players.

With his team up double digits in the final seconds, Billikens guard Quentin Jones tried to dribble out the last moments of regulation but not before he bumped an opposing player. VCU's Nyk Lewis stole the ball from Jones but was bumped out of bounds by Saint Louis standout Robbie Avila. That sequence led to players and staffers from both teams spilling onto the floor in a chaotic scene.

As the officials reviewed the play, players from both teams continued to chirp at one another.

Avila was subsequently whistled for a foul, and VCU's Barry Evans and Saint Louis' Jones were both hit with flagrant 2 fouls and ejected. Most of the players on both benches were also ejected after players ran onto the court once the fight started.

That left the Rams with just four players in the final 1.1 seconds of the game and the Billikens with only five.

"It was a real competitive game. Obviously, emotions run high throughout the game," Avila, who scored 13 points, told reporters after the game. "It got the best of us. It was a real close game. We've battled the last two games. There is no ill intentions between anybody. Just the emotions of the game. The competition. That's all that was."

With the win over second-place VCU, Saint Louis extended its lead in the race for the Atlantic 10 championship.

With 18:42 to play in the game, the Rams led 45-35. But Josh Schertz's squad launched a 53-30 run to seize the win.

Avila said the ending doesn't define Saint Louis, adding, "That's not who we are."