Auburn Basketball Flight Diverted After Player Altercation

The Auburn men's basketball team's flight to Houston was diverted back to its departure point following an altercation between players Jahki Howard and Ja'Heim Hudson. The incident, described in air traffic control audio as 'basketball players fighting,' escalated from horseplay and resulted in ripped clothes, prompting the pilots to request an emergency landing. Auburn later took a replacement flight to Houston without Howard and Hudson, who were left behind as a disciplinary measure. Auburn University has not provided an official statement, and head coach Bruce Pearl has not commented publicly. Despite the incident, the team is set to face the fourth-ranked Houston Cougars as scheduled. Both players were significant contributors in Auburn's previous win against Vermont.