By Blake Haas
NORMAL – A return to Horton Field House on Saturday for the Illinois State Men’s basketball team featured a competitive game but an alleged slur from multiple fans.
During a matchup between the Redbirds and Norfolk State, several fans allegedly yelled a racist slur towards a Norfolk State student-athlete.
The alleged slur came in the middle of the second half in the return to Horton Field House game.
“And now (Norfolk State Coach) Jones and (Redbird Coach) Ryan Pedon are going at it at halfcourt, and they’re going to have to be separated,” John Fitzgerald, the Voice of the Redbirds, said during the broadcast on WJBC. “This is pretty much a Malay that’s about to ensue here at Horton. Both benches are starting to clear, and (the officials and coaches) are trying to get both back.”
After the alleged slur, Norfolk State Heach Coach Robert Jones stood face to face with Redbird Coach Ryan Pedon.
“I was upset he (Norfolk State Coach Jones) he was on the floor, and I was raising hell with the referees,” Redbird second-year coach Pedon told the media after the game. “It was never personal towards him. I’ll take the high road on that. I’ll take the high road. But I’m a competitor, man.
Sometimes, I’m Italian, so sometimes my emotions can get the best of me at times. Yeah, I don’t apologize for my competitive edge. That’s how I want our teams to play.”
After the altercation between the two coaches, multiple fans were ejected from the game.
As a result, both teams and coaches were issued technical fouls, but no players were ejected.
After the game, Norfolk State Coach Jones took to social media to address the issue.
“I’m not letting anybody call my players a racial slur. Those are my kids, and I will fight for them. We have come too far in society to be called (a racial slur) at a college basketball game.”
WJBC contacted Illinois State University for comment, but the University has not responded.
Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].
