CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Duke coach Jon Scheyer said members of his staff were struck as North Carolina fans rushed the court following a dramatic finish Saturday night, and UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham publicly apologized.
No. 14 North Carolina stunned No. 4 Duke 71-68 when Seth Trimble hit a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds showing. The shot initially appeared to beat the buzzer, prompting a chaotic rush of fans onto the court. Officials reviewed the play, determined there was time remaining, cleared the floor for a final possession, and then the crowd surged again when the clock finally hit zero.
Scheyer said his primary concern after the game was the safety of his players and staff. He said members of his staff “got punched in the face,” and that his family had to push people away while trying to keep players from being trampled. He acknowledged Carolina earned the win, calling it a heartbreaking loss for Duke, but emphasized the need to protect people at the end of games.
Cunningham said he apologized to Scheyer before Scheyer’s postgame news conference and acknowledged someone had been injured, though he did not provide specific details. UNC spokesman Kyle Serba told The Associated Press and other outlets via text that one person tied to the program had been hurt but gave no further information, citing privacy.
“When they rushed the court, a number of people got knocked over,” Cunningham said, noting that when fans typically storm the court after a final buzzer teams usually have a line by the benches to help clear people safely. He said the school will review video to determine exactly what happened and pledged to try to prevent similar incidents.
Player and staff safety during court storms has been an ongoing concern in college basketball. About two years ago, after Duke’s loss at Wake Forest, forward Kyle Filipowski was shaken up when a fan collided with him; he left the court with his right leg wrapped to secure an ice bag. In the aftermath of that incident Scheyer had asked whether court storming should be banned.
Asked Saturday if he still favors banning court storming, Scheyer said he does not. He said celebrations are fine but stressed there must be measures to keep players and staff safe — and to prevent fights, punches or other dangerous confrontations during chaotic court invasions.
