'Basketball Wives' -- A Purse Snatching Between Wives Ruins Vacay

A "Basketball Wives" vacation to Tahiti ended early for one cast member after an argument between two girls ended with one refusing to give back the other's purse ... TMZ has learned.

According to our sources, Tami Roman and Kesha Nichols got into it last month about halfway through the trip because Tami felt Kesha was talking behind the other girls' backs. We're told the two had it out over dinner and Kesha stormed out ... leaving her purse behind.

Our sources say Tami took the purse and held on to it, hoping Kesha would come retrieve it and they could finish their conversation. But when Kesha found out Tami had retreated back to her hotel room with the purse, we're told Kesha got hotel security involved.

Hotel security wanted to get the local police involved, but our sources say the producers of the show talked Tami into returning the purse to Kesha before the authorities got involved.

We're told once the matter was settled, Kesha decided to hop the next plane back to the States.

Last time the girls went on vacation, it was to Italy ... and Tami punched cast member Meeka Claxton during a nightclub brawl.