A heated rivalry game between Arizona State and Arizona took a dramatic turn in the final seconds, resulting in player ejections and a tense exchange between the two head coaches. With Arizona leading 81-72, a confrontation between Arizona's Caleb Love and ASU's BJ Freeman escalated with Freeman headbutting Love. Both players were subsequently ejected.

Following the ejections, tensions remained high. ASU coach Bobby Hurley directed his entire bench to leave for the locker room well before the game concluded. As the Wildcats ran out the clock, Hurley then instructed his assistant coaches to also depart, leaving him alone on the bench. He then waved off Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, bypassing the customary post-game handshake, and both teams retreated to their respective locker rooms.

In the post-game press conference, Hurley explained his actions, citing unsportsmanlike conduct from some Arizona players. He accused them of relentless taunting that went unchecked by officials, contributing to the incident. Hurley felt compelled to protect his team from further confrontation, hence the early exit.

Adding fuel to the fire, Hurley hinted at repercussions for the Arizona players involved, specifically mentioning his voting power for All-Conference selections. Lloyd, while acknowledging the heated nature of the rivalry, expressed disappointment with the situation and emphasized the importance of maintaining composure. He stated his respect for Hurley and Arizona State despite the incident.

The Wildcats improved their record to 15-6 (9-1 in conference), while the Sun Devils fell to 12-9 (3-7). A rematch is scheduled for March 4th, promising another potentially explosive encounter.