Feb 17, 2015 02:59 PM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

The Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team has suspended junior guard Sterling Gibbs, their leading scorer, for two games after he hit an opposing player in the face during a game.

Seton Hall visited Villanova Tuesday night and lost to the Wildcats (6) 80-54. Down 71-45 with about four-and-a-half minutes left in the game, Gibbs got involved in a loose-ball skirmish between Villanova junior guard Ryan Arcidiacono and Seton Hall junior center Chier Ajou.

While Ajou and Arcidiacono fighting for possession of the ball, Gibbs brought his fist down hard on the latter's face, earning him an ejection.

According to ESPN, Seton Hall announced the suspension Tuesday.

"Sterling demonstrated poor sportsmanship last night, and he recognizes that what he did was wrong and that he must be held accountable for his actions," Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard said in a statement. "This was out of Sterling's character, and I believe this incident does not define the type of person he is or will become. Sterling will learn and grow from this unfortunate event."

Gibbs also gave his own statement on the incident via Twitter after the game, apologizing to Arcidiacono and emphasizing that it was a poor representation of his character.

"We support Seton Hall's decision to suspend Sterling Gibbs for his actions in the Villanova game," Big East commissioner Val Ackerman said in a statement. "Unsportsmanlike acts like the one that occurred last night have no place in the Big East or college sports."

Arcidiacono also responded to Gibbs' apology on Twitter, stating the two are "all good."

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