Slap to face sparks Monmouth-Iona postgame scuffle (VIDEO)

The Monmouth Hawks have been tearing up social media with their hilarious sideline celebrations all season long but, on Friday, those slapstick antics sparked a confrontation complete with a real slap.

The Hawks defeated the Iona Gaels 110-102 in a thrilling MAAC battle, but it was what happened after the game that became the big story.

Here are some clips of the incident, starting with one that shows center Chris Brady being slapped by an Iona player during the handshake line:

Things escalate and it appears an assistant coach is caught in the altercation and pulled to the ground by a member of a coaching staff:



Earlier this week, Iona coach Tom Cluess had some harsh words about the Monmouth celebrations after a big play or basket, so maybe this choreographed display of exuberance on Friday contributed to the postgame drama.



Or maybe Iona didn't find this little skit so funny:

LMAO I LOVE YOU @danpillari 😂😂😂😂😂 @MonmouthBench https://t.co/RsNF0U7LIy

— RT Ohio (@RT_Ohio) January 16, 2016

And the Hawks won for the ninth time in their last 10 games, so don't expect the sideline show to end anytime soon.

Yankees don't sign Mariano Rivera's son: Report

The Yankees announced Saturday that draft pick Mariano Rivera Jr., the son of their retired legendary closer, did not sign a contract before Friday's deadline.

The team had selected Rivera Jr., a righthander from Iona College, in the 29th round of the June amateur draft. Rivera Jr. has decided he will return to school for his junior year.

The Yankees did sign 27 of the 38 other players they took in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft.

"He just wanted to continue where he's at currently," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "It's not something that he wants to pursue just yet. I think Mariano and the family feel like some more seasoning in the college ranks will benefit him more."

As a sophomore, Rivera Jr. was 2-6 with a 5.40 ERA in 13 games. He struck out 50 in 70 innings.

"He wasn't a courtesy draft," Cashman said about the storybook family connection. "We would have signed him if he had the interest in starting his pro career now."