In a heated moment during Wednesday's college basketball game at Leavey Center, Utah Tech's Chance Trujillo punched Santa Clara's Allen Graves in the face after Graves dunked over him with 1:18 left in the second half. The incident sparked a brief scuffle, resulting in technical fouls for both players and Santa Clara's Brenton Knapper. Santa Clara held on for an 86-77 victory.
The altercation occurred late in the Utah Tech Trailblazers vs. Santa Clara Broncos matchup, as Santa Clara led 86-77. Graves threw down a one-handed dunk right over Trujillo, who had attempted to block the shot but failed. While celebrating the highlight-reel play, Graves bumped into Trujillo, prompting the Utah Tech guard to throw a right-handed punch at Graves' face.
Graves stumbled backward, stunned by the hit, and lunged at Trujillo in retaliation. Teammates quickly intervened, holding Graves back to prevent a larger brawl. Referees issued technical fouls to Trujillo, Graves, and Knapper for their involvement in the skirmish. It remains unclear if Trujillo was ejected from the game.
The punch followed an embarrassing defensive moment for Trujillo, who was posterized by the dunk. Fans reacted strongly online, with one calling it 'complete bush league and pathetic,' another demanding a season-long suspension, and a third labeling it 'unnecessary.' The Utah Tech athletic department declined to comment on Trujillo's status, pending a review from the Western Athletic Conference ahead of the Trailblazers' next game on Dec. 13.
Santa Clara secured the win, improving their record, while the incident overshadowed the competitive finish. No further escalation occurred, but the event highlights tensions in a close contest.