Veteran basketball referee Rick Crawford was officiating the consolation game between LaSalle and Vanderbilt at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday. Shortly after the tip off, he was inadvertently struck in the face by Vanderbilt's center Damian Jones' elbow.
Crawford immediately went down and was on the hardwood with both of his eyes open. Play was stopped and the crowd went silent as he and was quickly seen to be paramedics. Crawford was put in a neck brace and also suffered from bruises to his eye before he was stretchered off the court and taken to hospital.
A Barclays Center spokesman said Crawford was talking as he made his way to the hospital and could remember what happened.
Deadspin noted that shortly after the incident, the Vanderbilt Men's Basketball team tweeted that "it looks like Crawford is coherent and moving extremities."
The Vanderbilt Commodores went on to win the game 68-55.
Here's to a speedy recovery, Craw.