Feature photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics.
Two days after he was involved in a scuffle late in the first half of a 70-57 loss to Wisconsin, the Maryland Terrapins suspended center Diamond Stone for one game.
Head coach Mark Turgeon announced the suspension Monday via an official statement by the team.
“Diamond’s conduct during Saturday’s game was a poor representation of the standards that we have established as a program at the University of Maryland,” Turgeon said in the statement. “I have talked with Diamond and he realizes he made a mistake. He felt very badly about what happened and will learn from this experience. I want to sincerely apologize to [forward] Vitto Brown and [head coach] Greg Gard for what transpired Saturday.”
Stone apologized in the statement.
“I want to apologize to Vitto Brown and the Wisconsin basketball team for my unacceptable behavior during Saturday’s game,” Stone said. “I regret that I let the emotions of the game get the best of me. I let my team down and I accept full responsibility for my actions.”
Here's the end-of-the-half mix-up that Big Ten fans are talking about. https://t.co/aoyy5pRMJF
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 14, 2016
The incident occurred with 1.8 seconds remaining in the half. Stone and Brown were fighting for the ball as they both fell to the ground, with Stone’s momentum knocking Brown over. A verbal altercation occurred after the tumble.
As Stone was getting up off the ground, it seemed as though forward Nigel Hayes shoved him from behind. Stone’s hand, whether intentionally or unintentionally, pushed down on Brown’s head.
https://twitter.com/ryanconnors11/status/698664013530578944/photo/1
Head referee DJ Carstensen whistled for a jump ball as the players fell to the floor, and then called a double technical after the altercation. Stone was charged with a contact technical foul and Thomas was called for an unsporting, verbal technical.
After the game, Turgeon said he did not see the scuffle, but said he would watch video of it and talk to the star freshman. Guard Rasheed Sulaimon pointed to high tensions and in-game excitement as possible causes of the incident.
“You give your heart out in this game,” Sulaimon said. “Everything we go through, from June, you know, now it’s February, emotions flair sometimes, you get competitive and things happen.”
In an official statement, the Big Ten announced its support of Maryland’s decision to suspend Stone for violating the Big Ten Sportsmanship policy, and publicly reprimanded Stone for his actions.
It cited Big Ten Conference Agreement 10.01, which states, “The Big Ten Conference expects all contests involving a member institution to be conducted without compromise to any fundamental element of sportsmanship. Such fundamental elements include integrity of competition, civility toward all, and respect, particularly toward opponents and officials.”
The Terps will be without Stone when they take on unranked Minnesota (6-19, 0-13 B1G), which is last place in the Big Ten.
Forward Damonte Dodd, who started 12 games before Stone assumed a starting role midseason, is expected to start in place of the freshman. Center Michal Cekovsky should also see increased playing time.
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