Mid-American Conference disciplines four members of Kent State’s men’s basketball team ahead of title game for social media post

The Kent State Golden Flashes men’s basketball team will be without four contributors— three for the first half of the MAC championship game, and one “indefinitely”— after the Mid-American Conference announced said players would be disciplined for a social media post which aired overnight on Friday following KSU’s semifinal win over Ohio.

The social media video in question was posted to redshirt junior forward DJ Johnson’s Snapchat account with the caption “see they bitch ass in the Championship Game tmmm” while flashing the middle finger, and included him and teammates Malique Jacobs, Cli’Ron Hornbeak and Julius Rollins improvising a rap song directly dissing several members of the Akron Zips men’s basketball team. Opposing players called out by name or number include Ali Ali, Greg Tribble and Bryan Timble Jr.

Jacobs, a starting guard for the Flashes, Hornbeak and Rollins received first half suspensions, while Johnson, the original poster, will be suspended indefinitely.

The video is included below in the embed [NSFW audio.]

“I’m disappointed this has occurred,” MAC commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher said via press release Saturday afternoon. “This does not represent the values of Kent State or the Mid-American Conference. ... I commend the leadership of Kent State for being proactive in addressing this matter and collaborating with my office to bring this situation to a resolution.”

#2 seed Kent State and #4 seed Akron, traditional rivals in all sports, are set to meet in the MAC Championship Game this evening at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time, with television coverage of the game provided on ESPN2. The winner of the contest will secure a berth in the NCAA Tournament. As neither team was the regualr season champion, the loser will likely wait for an open invitation to a postseason tournament.