One arrested after a fight in the stands at Bryant-Wagner basketball game. What we know

The Rhode Island State Police confirmed Wednesday that they arrested one person after being called to Bryant University after a fight broke out in the stands during a basketball game at the Chace Athletic Center.

Connor Gleim, 20, of Raynham, Massachusetts, was charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer in execution of duty, according to the state police.

Gleim was taken to state police headquarters, where he was arraigned by a justice of the peace and released with a future court date, the state police said.

The state police, who sent seven troopers to the campus at the request of the Smithfield police, did not say whether Gleim is a student, although LinkedIn has a profile of a person by that name who is identified as a Bryant student and aspiring securities trader.

The fight started with less than five minutes remaining in the NEC championship game between Bryant and Wagner, causing a nearly 30-minute delay in action.

NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris sent a tweet Wednesday, saying she was "disgusted" by the fan behavior and that the league would investigate its game management policies.

The university issued a statement Wednesday morning, saying the incident is under investigation and students involved will face consequences.

"While the large majority of students at the March 8 Men’s Basketball game were focused on the outstanding performance of our team and looking forward to celebrating Bryant’s first Men’s Basketball NEC championship, a small number of students engaged in unacceptable behavior," the university said in the statement.

"The incident is under investigation through our established internal processes and Bryant is working with appropriate bodies to ensure that those involved in last night’s incident are held accountable," the university said.

Bryant University President Ross Gittell has "reached out" to Wagner's president, according to the university.

Gittell also sent a message to students, faculty and staff, expressing pride in the team's victory and congratulating coach Jared Grasso and the team but also addressing the disturbance.

"The team presented Bryant spirit and character that was unfortunately not demonstrated by all of our students in the stands last night," Gittell wrote. "At Bryant we know we are better than what some of our students demonstrated last night. Treating others with respect and care is who we are, and we did not do that as a community as well as we should have last night. We must and will do better going forward."

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What happened when the fight at the Bryant basketball game broke out

When the fight started, the game was paused and both teams left the floor as officials tried to get the situation under control and determine if any players were involved. Bryant enjoyed a 36-point lead at the time, went on to post a 70-43 win and punched its ticket to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

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"Administrators here should have seen this coming. Game was out of hand. Crowd had been chirping at one another. But minimal security and adjacent seating set the stage for trouble," tweeted Providence Journal reporter Bill Koch from Chace Athletic Center.

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Bryant Athletic Director Bill Smith announced that fans would be removed from the student section of the stands. The Wagner fans and band were removed first and a few Bryant fans were also removed by law enforcement officials.

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A number of Wagner fans were removed from the gymnasium, according to announcers. Wagner guard Will Martinez was ejected from the game after officials determined he had left the court and become involved in the fight.

Reaction to the fight from Bryant staff

"I didn't see any of it — how any of that thing started. All I knew is we needed to finish the game in a first-class manner," Smith said after the game. "Get both teams back on the court, shake hands at the end and finish the game."

Smith said it was a "very emotionally charged game" and that the Bryant gym doesn't have a "natural barrier" for the visiting team.

"Unfortunately I don't think there was anything else we could have done that would have prevented what occurred," he said. "It's just been an incredible night and we're going to move on."

Wagner parents and family members were allowed back for the finish and the game resumed with police and security as a buffer between them and Bryant students.

"I don’t know how it started, why it started, what took place," Bryant coach Jared Grasso said. "Thankfully our guys were not a part of it.

"The game should have been finished so these guys can celebrate with their fans. I know there was a point they were talking about clearing the fans out. I said, ‘We’re not telling these fans to leave.’

"We’ve sold out the last (four) home games. Kids are sitting outside at 9 o’clock in the morning for tickets at 12:30. There are people who drove seven hours to be at this game. They’re not leaving – it's not happening."

Morris, the league commissioner, tweeted Wednesday, "I'm disgusted that on a day we were here to celebrate NEC men's basketball, it was marred by the actions of supporters who didn't respect the game and the hard work these two teams put forth to get to the championship."

"We will conduct a thorough investigation of last night's incredibly disappointing events and begin an immediate review of our game management policies to address this type of unruly and disrespectful behavior," she wrote.

Wagner's interim president, Angelo Araimo, released a statement Wednesday, saying he wanted to "echo Commissioner Morris’s statement that everyone who attends an NEC event must feel welcome and safe."

Araimo said, "After the game was stopped in the second half due to an altercation in the stands, we made the decision to remove our band, spirit teams and fans from the arena. No Wagner student was directly involved in the incident, but we decided to remove ourselves from the increasingly hostile and unmanageable environment."

"I am proud of Coach (Bashir) Mason, our team and coaches, and our other students and staff in attendance for the sportsmanship and character they displayed in the face of undeserved adversity," Araimo said.

"Despite the unfortunate ending, our men’s basketball team had a successful season on the court and in the classroom," Araimo said. "They were a joy to watch, and they have our gratitude and respect."

"We congratulate Bryant’s team for their Northeast Conference championship," he said. "Neither team deserved the ending they received last night, and I look forward to working with the conference to ensure our students' safety is prioritized at all events.

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee was in the stands when the fight broke out.

With reports from Caitlyn Kelleher

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bryant-Wagner fight: Basketball fans brawl at NEC Tournament game