UTEP head coach Joe Golding was ejected from the college basketball game against North Dakota State. His removal from the contest presents a stark contrast to what happened in Louisiana last week.
Ragin’ Cajuns head coach Quannas White received a police escort out of the arena.
There is a big difference in how these two college basketball coaches were treated for poor behavior. Why? What gives? It depends on who you ask.
UTEP head coach Joe Golding put on a show.
Joe Golding is in his fifth season as the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso. The Miners have yet to make the NCAA Tournament during his tenure and got off to a rough 3-7 start this season.
However, they defeated a 10-win Bison team at home on Monday night.
UTEP trailed North Dakota State by two points during the first half. Its head coach proceeded to chirp at the officials from the sideline after what he considered a bad call with approximately two minutes remaining. That got him T’d up, which set him off. His responsive behavior got him ejected.
Golding left the coach’s box to get in the face of the nearest referee. The referee threw him out.
Here are the moments that UTEP head coach Joe Golding was ejected following a double technical foul.
— Adrian Broaddus (@AdrianBroaddus) December 23, 2025
This is the first time Golding has been ejected at UTEP since a CUSA game versus UAB in 2021, his first year with the program. #MinerTalk @stevekaplowitz pic.twitter.com/9XiJlEbQqV
The Miners rallied back from a four-point deficit at halftime to win the second half by 14 points and the game by 10. It was a great win against a solid opponent. Golding’s ejection got his players fired up. He didn’t throw a chair during a temper tantrum. He stood up for his team. His team rallied behind him.
UTEP fans joked that it was the most fight Golding has shown in years. Perhaps this is a turning point. We’ll see.
College basketball double standard?
As soon as Joe Golding got ejected, Louisiana-Lafayette fans (or whatever they want to be called these days) were outraged. They don’t understand why their head coach was treated differently.
Ragin’ Cajuns head coach Quannas White was ejected from a game on Friday after he lunged toward an official. He disagreed with a no-call, which trigged an outburst and a technical foul. He was then ejected.
White refused to walk off of the court in a timely manner so police eventually stepped in. They gave him a swift escort out of the arena after he charged back onto the court.
Louisiana Head Coach Quannas White was ejected after getting in an officials face after a no-call.
— Dima Mixon (@dima_mixon) December 19, 2025
What followed was an escort out of the arena by the police. pic.twitter.com/EddVW1NQZF
Southern Miss drew criticism for how it treated the opposing head coach.
“Pretty reprehensible how former University of Houston assistant Quannas White is treated by police and arena security at Southern Mississippi on getting ejected. No excuse for putting their hands on him. Coaches are always allowed to yell a little more and make their point while walking off the floor,” wrote Houston-based journalist Chris Baldwin. “Having covered White for seven seasons at UH, this isn’t a fly-off-the-handle guy. Southern Miss should be embarrassed and apologize for the way White was treated.”
The local security and police were met with the most disapproval.
“I have never ever seen police rush onto a basketball court like that post-coach ejection and make physical contact with a coach in that manner. completely unacceptable from an officer clearly itching for some action. Absurd,” wrote FAU broadcaster Ken LaVicka.
Golding did not receive a police escort for his behavior. White did.
Why? That is a question to which fans of Louisiana(-Lafayette) would like an answer.