March Madness ejection rules in NCAA women's basketball tournament, explained

Heading into what looks like it could be a wide-open field at the NCAA women’s tournament, which begins this week, we could be treated to some top-tier matchups.

We’ll hope we don’t see something like the fight that broke out during the SEC tournament title game between two of the nation’s best teams in South Carolina and LSU — which resulted in the ejection of six players and the suspension of Gamecocks star center Kamilla Cardoso for the NCAA tournament opener.

But emotions run high with the stakes of March, and if we do see something similar, it’s worth having a familiarity with the women’s college basketball ejection rules.

There are two surefire ways to earn an ejection beyond fouling out. Drawing a disqualifying foul (the women’s equivalent to a flagrant 2 on the men’s side) is an automatic ejection, as is participating in a fight (which is why Cardoso was ejected).

Unlike in the men’s game, which only allows head coaches to enter the court in the event of a fight, assistant coaches may do so. However, any bench players who enter will be ejected, which is why so many LSU and South Carolina players were tossed.

You can also be ejected for drawing technical or intentional fouls. While the men’s side splits technical fouls into Class A and B, women’s basketball makes no such distinction. Vulgar language along with delay of game tactics can all fall under the purview of technical fouls.

Intentional fouling, a concept that has been absorbed under the flagrant 1 in the men’s game, is when a foul is committed that isn’t deemed to be a reasonable attempt to make a play, such as wrapping up a player in transition to prevent a breakaway basket.

Receiving two technical or intentional fouls (or one of each) results in an automatic ejection.

Hopefully, we don’t see a repeat of the ugliness at the end of the electric SEC title matchup. But if we do, now you know the rules.