UConn-Creighton game at Big East tourney ends with heated skirmish

NEW YORK (AP) — A scuffle broke out at the end of Creighton's victory over UConn in the Big East Tournament semifinals on Friday night after Jamiya Neal threw down a needless dunk for the Bluejays in the final seconds.

Huskies guard Hassan Diarra shoved Neal in the chest and appeared to square up with his fists for a split second as the two were face-to-face. Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner separated them by pushing Neal away as whistles blew and players came streaming off the benches at Madison Square Garden.

“I mean, they were already up with 7 seconds left. He didn’t want to dribble the ball out. Went in for a fancy dunk. I just felt it was disrespectful to the game of basketball,” Diarra said.

With the second-seeded Bluejays leading 69-62, they rebounded a UConn miss with under 10 seconds left and Huskies coach Dan Hurley signaled for his team to let the clock run out without fouling.

Neal, however, took off streaking down the left sideline for a fancy slam with 1.5 seconds remaining and hung on the rim for a pullup. After his skirmish with Diarra, Neal waved his arms to fire up Creighton fans in the sellout crowd.

Officials restored order pretty quickly. Diarra and Neal received double technicals, and UConn reserve forward Jayden Ross was ejected for coming off the bench.

“I got caught up in the emotions of the game. Just a lot of emotions going on. So I would like to apologize for that,” Neal said. “I respect Coach Hurley and those guys over there. They have a great, great program. ... Yeah, I apologize. Just got caught up in the moment, and I shouldn’t have did it.”

Hurley and Bluejays coach Greg McDermott were already approaching each other along the sideline to shake hands when Neal took off for his dunk. McDermott appeared to apologize to Hurley immediately afterward, and again when the game ended.

Connecticut assistant Luke Murray did appear to exchange a few unpleasant words with McDermott, however. Murray is the son of actor Bill Murray, who sat in the stands behind the UConn bench.

Creighton beat the third-seeded Huskies 71-62 and advanced to face sixth-ranked and top-seeded St. John's in the title game Saturday night.

Creighton is 0-4 in Big East championship games since joining the league for the 2013-14 season.

UConn, the two-time defending NCAA champion, won the Big East Tournament last year.

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Creighton head coach Greg McDermott smiles during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against UConn in the semifinals of the Big East tournament Friday, March 14, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

UConn head coach Dan Hurley argues with the referee during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Creighton in the semifinals of the Big East tournament Friday, March 14, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Creighton's Jamiya Neal (5) dunks the ball in front of UConn's Liam McNeeley (30) and Hassan Diarra (10) as teammate Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) watches during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Big East tournament Friday, March 14, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Creighton's Jamiya Neal (5) exchanges words with UConn's Hassan Diarra (10) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Big East tournament Friday, March 14, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Creighton's Jamiya Neal (5) exchanges words with UConn's Hassan Diarra (10) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Big East tournament Friday, March 14, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian lawmakers on Tuesday passed a law banning Pride events and allowing authorities to use facial recognition software to identify attendees, continuing a crackdown by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s right-wing populist party on the country’s LBGTQ+ community.

The measure passed in a 136-27 vote. The law, supported by Orbán’s Fidesz party and their minority coalition partner the Christian Democrats, was pushed through parliament in an accelerated procedure after being submitted only a day earlier.

It amends Hungary’s law on assembly to make it an offense to hold or attend events that violate Hungary’s contentious “child protection” legislation, which prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors under 18.

Attending a prohibited event will carry fines up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546), which the state must forward to “child protection,” according to the text of the law. Authorities may use facial recognition tools to identify individuals attending a prohibited event.

As the vote was held in Hungary’s parliament in Budapest, opposition lawmakers ignited smoke bombs in the chamber, filling it with thick plumes of colorful smoke.

In a statement on Monday after lawmakers first submitted the bill, Budapest Pride organizers said the aim of the law was to “scapegoat” the LGBTQ+ community in order to silence voices critical of Orbán’s government.

“This is not child protection, this is fascism,” organizers wrote. “The government is trying to restrict peaceful protests with a critical voice by targeting a minority. Therefore, as a movement, we will fight for the freedom of all Hungarians to demonstrate!”

The new legislation is the latest step against LGBTQ+ people taken by Orbán, whose government has passed other laws that rights groups and other European politicians have decried as repressive against sexual minorities.

In 2022, the European Union’s executive commission filed a case with the EU’s highest court against Hungary’s 2021 child protection law. The European Commission argued that the law “discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Hungary’s government portrays itself as a champion of traditional family values and a defender of Christian civilization from what it calls “gender madness,” and argues that its policies are designed to protect children from “sexual propaganda.”

Hungary’s “child protection” law — aside from banning the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality in content available to minors, including in television, films, advertisements and literature — also prohibits the mention of LGBTQ+ issues in school education programs, and forbids the public depiction of “gender deviating from sex at birth.”

In a speech in February, Orbán hinted that his government would take steps to ban the Budapest Pride event, which attracts thousands and celebrates the history of the LGBTQ+ movement while asserting the equal rights of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

Another Pride event in the southern Hungarian city of Pécs has also been held in recent years. Budapest Pride is marking its 30th anniversary this year, and is scheduled to take place on June 28.

Representatives vote during the plenary session of the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Boglarka Bodnar/MTI via AP)

MPs of Momentum protest with flares during the plenary session of the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Boglarka Bodnar/MTI via AP)

MPs of Momentum protest with flares during the plenary session of the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Boglarka Bodnar/MTI via AP)

Ferenc Gelencser of Momentum, left, throws pamphlets from the balcony during the plenary session of the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Boglarka Bodnar/MTI via AP)

MPs of Momentum protest with flares during the plenary session of the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Boglarka Bodnar/MTI via AP)

FILE - A participant waves a rainbow flag during an LGBT rights demonstration in front of the Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest, Hungary on June 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky, File)