Villanova in the Pros: Donte DiVincenzo Serves Suspension

Villanova Men’s Basketball alumnus Donte DiVincenzo served a one game suspension on Tuesday, April 1 for his role in a dust-up between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Detroit Pistons two days before.

The play occurred early in the second quarter after Pistons forward Ronald Holland II fouled DiVincenzo’s Timberwolves teammate Naz Reid on the way to the basket. Holland exchanged jibes with Reid and DiVincenzo, pushing the latter away, then DiVincenzo shoved Holland back, prompting the benches to clear. A shoving match ensued with DiVincenzo at the heart of it, pushing a crowd of Pistons back until the mass of bodies pushed him back into the crowd, with referees eventually breaking up the scuffle. Here’s a video of the full incident.

Officials whistled DiVincenzo for an offensive charge barely 30 seconds of clock time before the dust-up as he drove hard into Pistons’ guard Isaiah Stewart. This too induced strong words between Stewart and DiVincenzo, with Stewart whistled for a technical foul… then emotions boiled over on Minnesota’s next possession.

After receiving a technical foul and being ejected from the game, DiVincenzo received a one-game suspension without pay for his role in the altercation. The fine amounts to $65,776 in lost wages for the 28-year-old shooting guard, who won a pair of championships with Villanova under Jay Wright.