ESPN ‘GameDay’ analysts Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg give their takes on KU-KSU melee
Silvio De Sousa’s 12-game suspension for his role in a melee at the end of Tuesday’s Kansas-Kansas State game is justified, ESPN “College GameDay” announcer Jay Bilas said Friday in speaking with media members in advance of Saturday’s 10 a.m. GameDay show in Allen Fieldhouse.
“I thought it was in line with what happened,” Bilas said of the 12-game penalty.
De Sousa was captured on camera throwing punches and picking up a stool and briefly holding it above his head in response to an incident that broke loose after De Sousa blocked a shot by K-State’s DaJuan Gordon with one second left in KU’s 81-60 victory in Allen.
Gordon stole the ball from De Sousa as De Sousa attempted to dribble out the final seconds of the lopsided game.
“Everyone is very fortunate nobody was hurt for a variety of reasons. It’s not just because of that. There was culpability all around. Nobody walked away from that better than they started,” Bilas added.
KU’s David McCormack was suspended two games, while Kansas State’s James Love and Antonio Gordon, who charged De Sousa after the block and De Sousa’s standing over DaJuan Gordon, received eight and three game penalties respectively.
GameDay crew member Seth Greenberg also gave his take on the suspensions.
“The steal … that’s a basketball play. The block, that’s a basketball play,” Greenberg said. “From that part forward there’s agitation. I think the agitators should receive maybe not as severe as Silvio, but maybe a more severe penalty. I think the culpability of the Kansas State kids (who charged De Sousa) … coming off the bench was egregious. It’s unacceptable. That can’t happen.
“Silvio standing over the player after the block … he didn’t have to do that. That was a great basketball play,” Greenberg noted. “From that point forward, the number of agitators that got involved created what ended up ... the chaos we saw after.”
Greenberg added that, “I think the two kids from Kansas State who came off the bench needed to get at least seven games, maybe 10 games. I think David McCormack was very fortunate to only get two games. To me I know there’s inconclusive evidence. I looked at all the video. It’s hard not to fathom him swinging down at someone. There also was some foot action. … I was surprised two games. I coached him in Europe a couple summers ago. He was as pleasant a young person I’ve ever been around,” Greenberg added of McCormack.
Bilas gave his take on the entire incident when asked by a reporter to comment on KU having a rough few months in the wake of Late Night in the Phog in which Snoop Dogg gave a risque performance.
“I don’t lump those things together. So to me they are separate issues,” Bilas said. “The fight at the end of the Kansas State game was obviously an ugly incident. It was something that I think that all reasonable people think is unacceptable. It’s not just unacceptable in college basketball. It’s unacceptable period. Outside of a UFC arena or the Golden Gloves I don’t think anybody would condone fighting at a sporting event.
“Whether it’s the NFL, the NBA, college sports, it doesn’t really matter. I thought the way everybody handled it was reasonable and in line with what happened.
“The issue is you condemn the action and move on. I don’t sort of link the Snoop Dogg thing and all that. There are rappers that go to Midnight Madness every year,” Bilas added. “We’ve been doing this a long time, so it’s not that Snoop Dog was at Kansas therefore there was a fight. It doesn’t work that way.”
GameDay will broadcast a show that starts at 10 a.m. Saturday in the fieldhouse. KU will play Tennessee in a 3 p.m. tip. Both will air on ESPN.
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 3:34 PM.
