Indiana Player Suspended After Brawl With Wichita

After investigating a brawl that broke out during a basketball game last week between Indiana State and Wichita State, the Missouri Valley Conference decided to suspend one player and reprimand two others, a conference spokesman said today.

Indiana State’s Darrin Liles received a one-game suspension, conference spokesman Ron English said. Indiana State’s Eddie Bird and Wichita State’s John Cooper were reprimanded by the conference, English said.

Liles served the suspension on Saturday, sitting out Indiana State’s regular-season finale, a loss to Illinois State.

Eleven players--10 of them from Indiana State--were ejected after a fight in the first half of the game Thursday in Terre Haute. With the ejections, Indiana State was left to finish the game with only four players and lost 84-69.

Wichita State led 41-25 when Liles punched Sasha Radunovich with 1 minute 46 seconds remaining in the half. The players collided as Liles was called for a foul.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the conference commended Wichita State for not emptying its bench during the fight and for generally showing greater restraint than did Indiana State. The conference also commended the officials for the manner in which they handled the fight and restored order.