No. 14 North Carolina mounted a 13-point comeback, capped by a crucial Seth Trimble three-pointer, to defeat No. 4 Duke 71-68 on Saturday night. The victory triggered two separate court-stormings by Tar Heels fans at the Dean Smith Center.
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer stated after the loss that the chaotic scene turned dangerous, with Duke staff members being punched in the face. He expressed concern for his team's safety, noting his own family had to push people away to avoid being trampled.
UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham issued a public apology, personally apologizing to Scheyer and acknowledging the disappointing injuries. He pledged to review safety measures.
Scheyer has been vocal about court-storming safety before, notably calling for a ban two years ago after Duke's Kyle Filipowski was injured. However, after this incident, he clarified he does not oppose court-storming in principle but insists on protocols to ensure visiting teams can exit safely.
The high-profile incident highlights an ongoing debate in college sports regarding fan celebrations and player security.