Dave Kallmann / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Heckling tends to come with the territory when you play college basketball, as plenty of fans go out of their way to try to get inside the heads of opposing players. That includes one Stony Brook supporter who chirped Monmouth’s Erik Pratt, who was ejected after spitting on him in response.
There are plenty of perks that come with being able to attend a sporting event in person instead of watching it from your couch, which includes the somewhat irrational belief that your presence at a game has the ability to influence the outcome.
There’s a reason home-court advantage is viewed as A Thing in basketball, as spectators have the potential to foster a rowdy environment and create an atmosphere that has the potential to give their home team an edge.
That tends to be a collective effort, but it is also possible for individual fans to make a difference if they’re able to throw the visiting team off their game by directing some trash talk in the direction of players who aren’t able to tune it out.
One guy who was sitting courtside when Monmouth hosted Stony on Thursday night was successful in that particular quest, although it led to him being hit with a loogie that resulted in the player who hocked it at him being treated to an early exit.
Stony Brook guard Erik Pratt issued an apology after he was ejected for spitting on a Monmouth fan
UNC-Wilmington looks like the favorite to represent the Coastal Athletic Association in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, as the Seahawks are currently sitting at the top of the standings with a 25-4 record while having gone 14-2 in conference play.
Stony Brook and Monmouth, on the other hand, are sitting in the middle of the pack, and on Thursday night, the two schools faced off in a game where they had the chance to gain an edge when it comes to seeding in the upcoming conference tournament, which is slated to kick off on March 6th.
The Hawks improved to 9-7 in conference play while the Seawolves fell to the same record after the former earned an 82-69 win. The game was fully out of reach with 2:30 left in the second half, as Stony Brook was trailing by 14 when a heckler sitting near one of the baskets ran his mouth at Erik Pratt, who opted to spit on him while making his way to the bench.
the incident pic.twitter.com/W9DKNtlrW4
— Dylan Brett (@DylanBrxtt) February 27, 2026
Pratt, who started his career at Texas A&M and spent a couple of years at UW-Milwaukee before transferring to Stony Brook for the current season, was subsequently ejected. However, it appeared he was already set to ride the bench for the rest of the game after his coach decided to wave the white flag and pull the starters right before the incident unfolded.
The guard, who leads Stony Brook in scoring this season, issued an apology after the game while taking full responsibility.
— Erik Pratt (@erikpratt_1) February 27, 2026
There’s a chance the CAA decides to dole out some supplemental punishment, so we’ll have to wait and see if he’ll be allowed to play when Stony Brook faces off against Hofstra on Saturday.