NCAA

Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse was ejected after completely going off on referees during their game on Wednesday ... so bad that he had to be escorted off the court by security!!

The former NBA star -- who started coaching Vandy in 2019 -- went berserk after his center Liam Robbins received a tech for tapping his head while celebrating a dunk in the 2nd half of their away game at VCU.

You can see Stackhouse furiously calling out the refs over the call ... receiving a tech for the blowup, which of course pissed him off even more.

That's when Stackhouse got in referee Bart Lennox's face right in the middle of the court ... and it got so intense that Vandy's coaching staff had to restrain him.

That was enough to get Stackhouse ejected ... and escorted to the locker room by security.

The 48-year-old spoke about the incident during his postgame press conference ... saying the officials need to do better overall.

"I thought tonight's game was poorly officiated," Stackhouse said.

"Kids gon make gestures during the course of the game when they have big plays. I felt like that was one that shouldn't have been called on my guy at that juncture in the game."

To make matters worse, the Commodores lost 70-65 to the Rams ... but Stackhouse isn't placing the blame at his player's feet.

"I don't think that tonight's loss was self-inflicted. I felt like this was a poorly officiated game, and they need to be better."

Florida Gators quarterback Jalen Kitna -- the son of ex-NFL star Jon Kitna -- was arrested in Florida on Wednesday, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 19-year-old was just booked into jail minutes ago -- at around 3:20 PM ET.

Further details surrounding his arrest were not made immediately available.

Jalen -- a touted recruit out of Burleson H.S. in Texas -- committed to the Gators in 2020. He joined the team in 2021, and redshirted. He saw his first on-the-field action this season, making his debut against Eastern Washington in October.

In total, he's appeared in four games for UF -- with his best performance coming against EWU, when he threw for 152 yards and a touchdown.

There had been speculation he could start the team's bowl game later this year if Anthony Richardson, a coveted NFL draft prospect, opts out of the postseason contest.

Jalen's father, Jon Kitna, played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks over the course of his career ... and was named the 2003 Comeback Player of the Year. He threw for nearly 30,000 yards and had 169 touchdowns in 14 seasons.

The Big Ten has fined Michigan State University $100,000 and suspended a Spartans cornerback for eight games in 2023 ... after concluding its investigation into the wild tunnel brawl at Michigan in October.

The conference handed down the punishment on Monday ... saying officials found that seven MSU players did indeed kick, hit or use a helmet to strike Wolverines players during the Oct. 29 incident.

In addition to the fine, the conference revealed MSU corner Khary Crump will have to sit out the first eight contests of next season due to his role in the brawl.

The other six players involved in the fracas were all hit with four-game bans, though they've all since served that punishment, the conference announced.

Big Ten officials also issued a public reprimand to the University of Michigan for not providing "adequate protection for personnel of both home and visiting teams when entering and leaving playing arenas."

As we reported, Crump, linebacker Tank Brown, defensive end Zion Young, safety Angelo Grose, defensive back Justin White, defensive end Brandon Wright, and pass rusher Jacoby Windmon were all hit with criminal charges from the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office for their roles in the brawl.

Muhammad Ali is arguably the greatest athlete of all time -- and a god amongst pugilists ... so when his grandson, Biaggio Ali Walsh, decided to enter the family business, the decision came with a whole heap of pressure!

Now, 24-year-old Ali Walsh is just days away from his PFL MMA debut (against Tom Graesser) ... and TMZ Sports talked to him about fighting as The Greatest's grandchild.

"I definitely have pressure. I even had that pressure in football, and that's a completely different sport. I'm also doing MMA which is also a completely different sport from boxing, but it's also a combat sport, so I think there's gonna be a little bit more pressure there."

FYI, Biaggio was a high school football star in Las Vegas, before playing college ball at the University of California before transferring to UNLV.

Ali Walsh understands he's getting additional attention because of his last name ... but he hopes to be able to blaze his own trail.

"At the end of the day I'm just like any other fighter who's fighting to create their own name, create their own legacy. The only difference is my grandfather is really famous, and because of that I've gotten the platform that I've got, but at the end of the day, it's how you perform in the cage."

"I definitely do have that pressure, but I feel like I'm dealing with it pretty well."

The event, the PFL World Championship, is going down at Madison Square Garden in NYC, under the same roof where Ali fought some of his most memorable fights -- including the "Fight of the Century," Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier in 1971.

We also asked Biaggio if fans might see any similarities between him and his grandfather ... something Ali Walsh says both yes and no too.

"When my grandfather boxed, I feel like it wouldn't translate that well over to MMA. He was very heavy on his lead leg, threw the jab out a lot. If I tried that in MMA, I'd just get leg kicked all day. I've tried that and I've gotten leg kicked and even taken down, so it didn't really work."

"His speed is something that I feel like I have to. I feel like his speed is passed down to me. Dealing with the big stage and the lights and all that, I feel like that's transferred down to me and my brother [Nico], and even my aunt Laila [Ali]."

A whopping SEVEN Michigan State players have been hit with criminal charges for their alleged roles in a stadium tunnel fight with Michigan players following a loss last month.

The Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office just announced the charges ... saying they're now looking to prosecute Spartans cornerback Khary Crump, linebacker Tank Brown, defensive end Zion Young, safety Angelo Grose, defensive back Justin White, defensive end Brandon Wright, and pass rusher Jacoby Windmon over the Ann Arbor altercation.

Five of the players -- Brown, Young, Grose, White and Wright -- are facing one count of misdemeanor aggravated battery. Windmon is facing one count of assault and battery.

Crump, meanwhile, was charged with one count of felony assault.

The charges were handed down after a lengthy investigation into the Oct. 29 incident ... where multiple MSU players were seen on video roughing up a couple Wolverines after a disappointing 29-7 loss at Michigan Stadium.

One of the videos showed Spartan players punching and kicking a UM player. Another clip appeared to show Crump swinging a helmet at Wolverines defensive back Gemon Green.

According to Green's attorney, Green suffered a concussion and other injuries in the incident.

All MSU players were suspended from the team indefinitely following the altercations.

Gene Smith, the athletic director for Ohio State University, has issued a formal apology to a Michigan State hockey player ... after a Buckeyes forward was accused of hurling racial slurs at the man during a game earlier this month.

According to Spartans forward Jagger Joshua, who is Black, the racist incidents happened on Nov. 11 -- when OSU visited East Lansing and lost 4-3.

Joshua did not reveal specifically what was said to him on the ice, but he did note in a Twitter post on Monday that he was livid over "the inaction" taken by Ohio State and the Big Ten in wake of the racial abuse.

"Acts of racism do not belong in hockey, as they can discourage African Americans and minorities like myself from playing and loving the game," Joshua said in his social media post. "Inaction in the face of racist comments and actions allow these behaviors to continue."

Late Tuesday night, Smith apologized to Joshua over it all in a lengthy statement ... and said the player who was accused of using the slurs, Kamil Sadlocha, "is returning home and will not practice or compete at this time."

"On behalf of Ohio State University, I am so sorry," Smith said. "No student or student-athlete should experience hatred or racism, and everyone should feel welcome."

"I have spoken with Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller, and I'm thankful Jagger is getting the support he needs."

In his statement, Smith said he has met with the OSU hockey team and will meet with them again over the incident. He promised that players "will complete education on racial sensitivity, diversity, equity, inclusion, and the use of respectful dialog."

"The department and I will support them through this important process," he added.

A top H.S. quarterback recruit's use of the n-word will not spell the end of his football career ... so says ex-NFL star Jamal Anderson, who tells TMZ Sports he's confident the teen will get another scholarship offer.

Marcus Stokes -- a four-star athlete from Allen D. Nease High School in Florida -- had his full ride to the Univ. of Florida pulled on Sunday ... after he posted a video of himself rapping the n-word in his car.

He apologized for it all, calling it "hurtful and offensive to many people" -- but some have wondered if it, and the Gators' subsequent punishment for it, would mean he'd no longer have a chance to play college ball anymore.

When we got Anderson out at LAX this week, he told us he's sure another school will give him another shot ... saying, "Man, he's a kid still."

"You've got to have time to grow and make mistakes and learn and make amends for the mistakes that you make," the former Atlanta Falcons running back said. "So, I wish him all the best and I hope that it all works out for him."

Anderson tells us Stokes' coaches, teammates, friends and peers will help him rebound from it all ... explaining if those around him continue to report he had no racist intentions with his actions, it'll be easier to forgive.

"When you look at the reports of the people that actually know him," Anderson said, "The people that are actually around him, there's nothing like that."

Here's further proof Big Ten football is taken VERY seriously in Ohio -- droves of newborns in the state this week have been wrapped in "Beat Michigan" swaddles ... as the Buckeyes prepare to play the Wolverines in a huge game this weekend.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center was the facility providing the anti-Michigan paraphernalia to the babies -- with, of course, parents' permission -- and while Wolverines fans may not enjoy it so much, it's adorable as hell.

The kids got red blankets with the words "Beat Michigan" inscribed in them -- with the M crossed out. They were also gifted some Buckeye-colored beanies.

Some proud, cheesin' parents posed with the Ohio State-clad kids ... and, surely, they're hoping those smiles stay on their faces on Saturday afternoon in Columbus.

The game goes down at noon -- and with both teams coming in with 11-0 records ... it almost certainly means a spot in the College Football Playoff is on the line.

The UVA vs. Virginia Tech game has been canceled ... in wake of the tragic shooting on the Cavaliers' campus earlier this month.

The ACC made the ruling late Monday evening, saying the Nov. 26 matchup will not go down as planned ... after UVA players Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D'Sean Perry were shot and killed on a bus after returning from a class field trip on Nov. 13.

According to the conference, ACC officials and both Virginia schools had a say in the decision.

"The ACC and Virginia Tech continue to support UVA following the devastating tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of three members of the Cavalier football team -- Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D'Sean Perry, and injuries to students Mike Hollins (also a Virginia football student-athlete) and Marlee Morgan."

This is the second game that's been canceled since the tragic incident -- last weekend's UVA vs. Coastal Carolina contest was also called off.

Both UVA and Virginia Tech's seasons are now over.

One of the best high school football players in the country had his Florida scholarship offer pulled this weekend ... after he was seen on video rapping the n-word.

Marcus Stokes posted the quick, two-second clip on his social media page last week -- appearing to show the quarterback recruit singing, "Welcome back, n***a."

Almost immediately afterward, the Nease H.S. athlete, who's white, received backlash for it ... and on Sunday, the Univ. of Florida made the decision to pull their offer from him.

Stokes had been committed to attending the school since early July.

"I was in my car listening to rap music, rapping along to the words and posted a video of it on social media," Stokes explained on his Twitter page on Sunday.

"I deeply apologize for the words in the song that I chose to say. It was hurtful and offensive to many people, and I regret that."

Stokes continued, "I fully accept the consequences for my actions, and I respect the University of Florida's decision to withdraw my scholarship offer to play football."

Stokes had a great junior season at Nease -- but struggled in his senior season this year. Still, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound dual-threat QB was rated a four-star recruit by 247Sports ... and the 14th-ranked signal-caller in the nation.

Stokes had received offers from several other schools -- including Penn State, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech -- during his H.S. career ... though it's unclear if those scholarship offers now still stand.

University of Virginia running back Mike Hollins is out of the hospital after being seriously injured in the tragic shooting last week ... his mother announced.

Hollins was shot in the back during the horrifying incident that resulted in the death of his three teammates, D'Sean Perry, Devin Chandler, and Lavel Davis Jr. He spent time in the ICU and required two surgeries in the days following the shooting.

Hollins' mother shared the positive update on Monday ... saying Mike's improved enough to continue his recovery from the comfort of his home.

"Mike has been discharged!!!" Brenda Hollins said on Twitter. "HALLELUJAH I want to thank everyone for their prayers, text messages, and calls."

"This has truly been a test of faith and I'm grateful. GOD has shown me he is faithful!" she added. "Please continue praying for Mike as he recovers and settles into his new life."

Brenda -- who attended the three players' funeral services on Sunday -- also calls for the community to keep their loved ones in their thoughts ... saying, "Please continue to pray for the Chandler, Davis, Perry families. They need us!!! GOD is amazing!"

The Washington Commanders will pay tribute to the three UVA football players who were tragically gunned down on campus last weekend ... by putting three stickers on their helmets for their game on Sunday.

The team just announced the homage ... revealing decals with the numbers 1, 15 and 41 -- the jersey digits of D'Sean Perry, Lavel Davis and Devin Chandler -- will be placed on the back of their players' headgear while the team attempts to get a win over the Houston Texans.

"Our hearts are with @UVAFootball and the UVA community affected by the tragedy," the team said in a tweet while unveiling the uniform honor.

The Commanders added the hashtags #UVAStrong and #FootballIsFamily.

Perry, Davis and Chandler were all killed on a bus on Sunday night after they had returned from a class field trip. Two others, including Cavaliers running back Mike Hollins, were injured in the shooting as well -- though they're both expected to survive.

Former UVA football player Juan Thornhill, a safety for the Chiefs, announced earlier this week he, too, will be paying tribute to the victims on NFL Sunday this weekend ... wearing a pair of custom cleats with homages to Perry, Davis and Chandler all over them.

Chiefs defensive back Juan Thornhill will honor the lives of the three UVA football players who were tragically killed last weekend ... by wearing custom tribute cleats during K.C.'s primetime matchup on Sunday night.

Thornhill -- who attended UVA before he was drafted into the NFL in 2019 -- showed off what the spikes will look like on his social media page on Wednesday ... and they're amazing.

The shoes feature the Cavaliers' blue and orange colors ... and also have the names of the three victims -- D'Sean Perry, Lavel Davis and Devin Chandler -- etched into them.

The trio of football players' jersey numbers, surrounded by angel wings, were also painted onto one of the sides. The other side, meanwhile, has replicas of the guys' UVA jerseys.

"1.15.41 👼🧡💙," Thornhill tweeted while announcing the fashion choice. "Wearing these Sunday to celebrate you 3."

As we reported, the football players were gunned down on campus after returning from a class field trip on Sunday night. Two others, including Cavaliers running back Mike Hollins, were shot in the incident as well -- though both survived.

Former UVA running back Christopher Jones Jr. -- who actually played with Thornhill at the school in 2018 -- has been arrested and charged in connection with the killings.

The University of Virginia football team will not play its game against Coastal Carolina on Saturday ... following the tragic deaths of three of its players on Sunday night.

The school just made the decision ... revealing the game will not have a makeup date. Officials said the Cavaliers' season finale against Virginia Tech on Nov. 26 could be canceled as well, though no ruling has been made on that contest yet.

Coastal Carolina officials said they had no issues whatsoever with the decision ... with head coach Jamey Chadwell saying in a statement, "We all stand in solidarity with UVA."

The cancelation is not a surprising one ... after linebacker D'Sean Perry and receivers, Lavel Davis and Devin Chandler were shot and killed on a bus on campus after returning to the school from a class field trip.

Two other UVA students, including Cavaliers running back Mike Hollins, were also injured during the shooting as well -- and at a news conference on Tuesday, head coach Tony Elliott said he and the team were understandably having a hard time processing it all.

A former UVA running back, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., has been accused of being the gunman in the horrifying incident. He's since been arrested and hit with multiple charges -- including three counts of second-degree murder.

Jones Jr. appeared in court for a hearing on the matter on Wednesday morning. No bond was given -- and his next court date was set for December.

College basketball is back  -- and so is Dick Vitale, babyyyyyy!!

The voice of college hoops made his triumphant return to the mic on Tuesday to call the Kentucky vs. Michigan State game ... after missing most of the 2021 season to undergo treatment for cancer and vocal cord surgery.

"It's the best medicine I can have, sitting courtside," the 83-year-old said during the broadcast.

"I tell you one thing, it beats laying in the hospital doing chemotherapy -- I can guarantee you that!"

It's been a battle for Vitale. He was diagnosed with multiple forms of cancer last year, but he never stopped fighting. Then, in August, he announced he's once again cancer free!

During the broadcast, Dickie expressed praise for everyone who supported him ... saying it's one of the reasons he beat the disease.

"I just can't say thank you, thank you, thank you, to so many who encouraged me and inspired me to really battle, and to win that battle."

Former Univ. of Kentucky hoops star Isaac Humphries -- who now plays in Australia's NBL -- revealed he's gay in a super emotional talk with his teammates on Tuesday.

Humphries sat down with his Melbourne United squad inside a team meeting room to make the announcement ... and he fought back tears as he explained the truth about his sexuality.

The 6-foot-11, 255-pound center said hiding his real identity had taken a massive toll on him, and it nearly led to death by suicide a couple years ago.

"I fell into a very dark place, a very lonely place," the 24-year-old said. "I couldn't be who I am and I attempted to take my life."

Humphries said "coming to terms with the fact that I'm gay" was extremely difficult. He revealed to his teammates that he "hated" himself and was "disgusted" by it all.

"I thought that I could not be that person in our environment, within a basketball environment," Humphries said.

Isaac, though, explained that after joining up with Melbourne United earlier this year, he became more and more comfortable with things. He said their open and welcoming culture allowed him to feel like himself, and led him to come out this week.

Now, Humphries said he wants to be a role model to the many others who are in his shoes.

"We as professional athletes have a responsibility to set examples for people," Humphries said. "The truth is there are so many other people in other worlds that are struggling every single day and don't know how to get up. Don't know how to exist. And I know how that feels. And I want to represent those people. That's my goal behind this."

The NBA immediately shared its support for Humphries in wake of the news, saying in a statement, "We are proud and grateful to Isaac for sharing his story. We know the real impact his honesty and courage will have on many others."

Humphries, who played alongside De'Aaron Fox, Bam Adebayo and Jamal Murray during his time at Kentucky, has had brief stints with NBA teams following his Wildcats career ... but has starred in the NBL since 2020.