Providence’s Duncan Powell was suspended for three games following his actions in the game against St. John’s Saturday. The Big East announced the penalties Sunday.

“The BIG EAST Conference has announced that Providence’s Duncan Powell has been suspended for two games in addition to the automatic one-game suspension mandated by NCAA rules for fighting during Providence’s contest against St. John’s on Feb. 14,” the statement read. Powell was ejected from the game due to a flagrant 2 foul with 14:25 left in the second half.

“After the on-court video review, game officials determined that Powell engaged in additional combative actions that constituted a fighting act subsequent to the flagrant foul.  As a result of the three-game suspension, Powell will miss the Feb. 21 game at DePaul, as well as the Feb. 24 home game vs. Xavier and a Feb. 28 game at Creighton.”

St John’s forward Bryce Hopkins was going up for a shot at the basket when Powell fouled him hard. Hopkins, who played three seasons for Providence, took exception to the foul and immediately got off the ground to confront Powell. This led to both benches getting involved to separate the pair, which incited further tension between others.

In the end, six players were ejected. Providence will be without Powell and Jaylin Sellers. Meanwhile, four St. John’s players got tossed: Dillon Mitchell, Kelvin Odih, Ruben Prey, Sadiku Ibine Ayo. Notably, Hopkins remained in the game after the incident.

“Yeah, I think that there’s absolutely a time to have hard fouls,” English said after the game. “There’s a time to have hard fouls through a guy’s arm. You never want to hit anyone in the head intentionally, obviously. I didn’t think that was a time for a hard foul.”

English summed up his thoughts on the foul that sparked it all. Just unnecessary, he said.

“As I watched it live I thought he could have just ran harder and got in front of him and had a good, legal position,” English said. “A good, legal play, honestly. I thought if he ran hard I thought he could have got in front of him and just guarded him. He actually blocked the ball clean, but then he came through his face after.”

Providence ultimately fell 79-69 as St. John’s rallied following the aggressive foul. Even short-handed, the Red Storm managed to press the issue and down the Friars.

Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this report