The Auburn men’s basketball team’s flight to Houston was grounded shortly after takeoff Friday because of a fight between two players, according to multiple reports.
The chartered flight took off from Auburn University Regional Airport shortly before 3 p.m. CT and landed 40 minutes later, according to FlightAware. WBRC-TV, a Birmingham, Ala. television station, reported that the pilot of the plane told air traffic controllers two players got into a “physical altercation.”
Auburn basketball did not respond to requests for comment Friday night. The Auburn Police Department, Auburn University Department of Campus Safety and Security and the Auburn University Regional Airport did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.
The team took off on another flight to Houston on Friday night, ESPN reported. A Houston official told The Athletic that as of Friday night, there were no changes to the game, which is scheduled to tip at 9:30 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center in Houston.
Auburn, ranked 11th in the AP Top 25, won its season opener 94-43 over Vermont on Wednesday. Saturday’s game pits the Tigers against fourth-ranked Houston, which won its season opener 97-40 over Jackson State.
This story will be updated.
(Photo: Michael Chang / Getty Images)
