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.
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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)
“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)
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish police on Wednesday arrested Istanbul’s mayor — a popular opposition leader and key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — and several other prominent figures as part of investigations into alleged corruption and terror links. It was a dramatic escalation in an ongoing crackdown on the opposition and dissenting voices in Turkey.
The state-run Anadolu Agency said prosecutors issued warrants for the mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, and some 100 other people. Among those detained was Imamoglu's close aide, Murat Ongun.
Authorities also closed several roads around Istanbul and banned demonstrations in the city for four days in an apparent effort to prevent protests following the arrest. Private NTV television said two Istanbul district mayors were among those detained.
Critics say the crackdown follows significant losses by Erdogan’s ruling party in local elections last year amid growing calls for early national elections. Government officials insist that the courts operate independently and reject claims that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated.
“We are facing great tyranny, but I want you to know that I will not be discouraged,” Imamoglu said earlier in the day in a video post on social media.
Germany criticized the arrests, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer describing them as “a serious setback for democracy.”
People gathered later Wednesday near Istanbul’s police headquarters, carrying posters of the mayor and banners with his photo around their shoulders. Others chanted slogans and raised their fists in the air as riot police cordoned off the facility.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc told reporters the arrests had nothing to do with the government. “Linking investigations and cases initiated by the judiciary to our President is, at best, presumptuous and inappropriate,” he said.
Erdogan, a populist with increasingly authoritarian tendencies, has led Turkey as prime minister or president for more than 20 years. His current term runs until 2028 but he has indicated he'd like to serve longer — something he could achieve with the help of a friendly parliament.
Imamoglu was arrested as police searched his home. His wife, Dilek Imamoglu, told the private Now television that police arrived at their residence before dawn and that the mayor was taken around 7:30 a.m.
The Istanbul Stock Exchange’s main index dropped by 7% over the news, triggering a temporary halt in trading to prevent panic selling and stabilize the market. Trading later resumed but was again halted in the afternoon. The Turkish lira lost some 7% of its value against the dollar.
Anadolu, the news agency, said that Ekrem Imamoglu and several others are suspected of extortion, money laundering and irregularities concerning tenders and procurements.
Imamoglu is also suspected of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, by allegedly forming an alliance with a Kurdish umbrella organization for the Istanbul municipal elections, the agency said. The PKK, behind a decadeslong insurgency in Turkey, is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara, Washington and other allies.
A day earlier, Istanbul University invalidated Imamoglu's diploma, effectively disqualifying him from the next presidential race — a university degree is a requisite for running in elections under Turkish law.
The mayor’s party — the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP — was to hold a primary on Sunday where he was expected to be chosen for its candidate in future presidential elections.
With all the arrests Wednesday, that vote was in doubt but party chairman Ozgur Ozel told the opposition-aligned Halik TV channel it would go ahead as planned.
In a social media post in English, Imamoglu said he stands “resolute, entrusting myself not only to the 16 million residents of Istanbul but to the 86 million citizens" of Turkey.
Hundreds also gathered outside CHP’s headquarters in Ankara, Turkey's capital, as the party's lawmakers protested inside the parliament, disrupting proceedings before marching out.
Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party condemned the detentions and called for the immediate release of all taken into custody.
Imamoglu's arrest was a "disgrace that will not be forgotten for centuries. This operation, which shatters faith in justice, is an attempt to redesign politics through the judiciary,” Tulay Hatimogullari, the party’s co-chairwoman, wrote on X.
Ongun, the mayor's aide, appealed for support on X even as he himself was being arrested, though at the time he apparently didn't know that Imamoglu was also being taken into custody.
“They think they can silence us,” Ongun said. “I entrust Ekrem Imamoglu to the Turkish nation. Protect, watch over and support him. They cannot be defeat the nation.”
Separately, police also detained a prominent investigative journalist, Ismail Saymaz, for questioning, the opposition-aligned Halk TV reported.
Meanwhile, internet-access advocacy group netblocks.org reported Wednesday that access has been restricted in Turkey to popular social media platforms.
In nullifying Imamoglu’s diploma, the university cited alleged irregularities in his 1990 transfer from a private university in northern Cyprus to its business faculty, a decision Imamoglu said he would challenge.
Later Wednesday, students at the university held a protest to denounce Imamoglu's arrest. No violence was immediately reported.
Imamoglu faces multiple lawsuits, including allegations of trying to influence a judicial expert investigating opposition-led municipalities. The cases could result in prison sentences and a political ban.
He is also appealing a 2022 conviction of insulting members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council, a case that could result in a political ban.
Imamoglu was elected mayor of Turkey’s largest city in March 2019, a historic blow to Erdogan and the president’s Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century. The party pushed to void the municipal election results in the city of 16 million, alleging irregularities.
The challenge resulted in a repeat of the election a few months later, which Imamoglu also won. The mayor retained his seat following local elections last year, during which his party made significant gains against Erdogan’s governing party.
Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Lorian Belanger in Bangkok and Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Turkey, contributed to this report.
A woman protests, holding a poster of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in front of a police cordon blocking the roads leading to the Vatan Security Department, where Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
People chant slogans and hold posters of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as they protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Security have cordons off the area around City Hall following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Security agents cordon off the area around City Hall following the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025.(AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Police have cordons off the roads lead to the Vatan security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is supposed to be taken , following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A woman walks past police cordons blocking the roads leading to the Vatan Security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Police have cordons off the roads lead to the Vatan security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is supposed to be taken, following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
People chant slogans, one holding a banner featuring a photo of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, while protesting his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
People chant slogans as they protest the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
People chant slogans as they protest the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Police cordon off the roads leading to the Vatan Security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
People gather, holding a banner featuring a photo of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, to protest his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Women stand in protest outside the City Hall following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
People chant slogans as they protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
People chant slogans and hold posters of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as they protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Police cordon off the roads leading to the Vatan Security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
People chant slogans and hold posters of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as they protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
A woman protests, holding a poster of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in front of a police cordon blocking the roads leading to the Vatan Security Department, where Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Backdropped by a billboard featuring a photo of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, people chant slogans as they protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
People chant slogans as they protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
A woman protests, holding a poster of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in front of a police cordon blocking the roads leading to the Vatan Security Department, where Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
People chant slogans and hold posters of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as they protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
People chant slogans as they protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Police cordon off the roads leading to the Vatan Security Department, where Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
A man wears a banner featuring a photo of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as he and others protest outside the Vatan Security Department, where Imamoglu is expected to be taken following his arrest in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
FILE.- Istanbul Mayor and Republican People's Party, or CHP, candidate Ekrem Imamoglu take photographs with supporters during a campaign rally in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 21, 2024.(AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
FILE - Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu addresses his supporters in front of the Istanbul courthouse, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel, file)
