• No charges imminent in brawl • SEC ranks 1-2-3 in women’s poll No charges imminent in brawl AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Investigators interviewed nine people injured in the brawl at the end of the Pistons-Pacers game, but no charges
• No charges imminent in brawl
• SEC ranks 1-2-3 in women’s poll
No charges imminent in brawl
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Investigators interviewed nine people injured in the brawl at the end of the Pistons-Pacers game, but no charges were imminent in the case, the county prosecutor said Monday.
Police were also reviewing videotapes and interviewing witnesses from Friday night’s melee, when Indiana forward Ron Artest charged into the stands after a fan threw a cup at him.
If charges are filed, they probably would be for assault and battery, a misdemeanor that could bring a three-month jail sentence, said David Gorcyca, the Oakland County prosecutor. The only possible felony charge could be against the person who hurled a chair into the crowd.
Asked if Artest could claim self-defense, Gorcyca said: “Even if someone did throw water, you don’t have a license or a green light to punch them.”
On Sunday, the NBA suspended Artest for the rest of the season. The league also suspended Indiana’s Stephen Jackson for 30 games and teammate Jermaine O’Neal for 25. Detroit’s Ben Wallace — whose shove of Artest after a foul led to the five-minute fracas — drew a six-game ban, while Pacers guard Anthony Johnson got five games.
Four players — Indiana’s Reggie Miller, and Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman — were suspended one game apiece for leaving the bench during the initial fight.
SEC ranks 1-2-3 in women’s poll
One league, three teams, all at the very top. A banner day for the SEC in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll — and a 10-year low for Connecticut.
Southeastern Conference rivals Tennessee, LSU and Georgia stood 1-2-3 in the poll on Monday, just the second time a league filled the leading three spots.
Auburn, Tennessee and Mississippi of the SEC held the top three places the week of Jan. 9, 1989. The AP poll started in 1976.
While the SEC soared, Connecticut dropped from fourth to eighth after a 71-65 loss to North Carolina, the earliest the Huskies have lost since they were beaten by Louisiana Tech in their 1995-96 season opener.
UConn, winner of the last three national championships, hasn’t been this low in the rankings since it was ninth the week of Feb. 1, 1994.
North Carolina (ninth to fifth) and Notre Dame (11th to sixth) both made major jumps, while Penn State dropped out from No. 23 after losing all three of its games.
Tennessee remained No. 1 after opening the season with road victories over Chattanooga and North Carolina State.
