ACC Fines UNC $50,000 After Court Storming Following Duke Game
The ACC announced Sunday that it has fined the University of North Carolina $50,000 for violating league event security rules. The fine came after fans rushed the court at the end of Saturday’s basketball game against Duke.
The incident occurred following North Carolina’s dramatic 71-68 victory over the fourth-ranked Blue Devils. With 0.4 seconds left, Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble hit a game-winning three-pointer. Fans poured onto the court in celebration. Officials later reviewed the play and determined that time remained on the clock. This forced security to clear the floor so Duke could run a final play. Fans stormed the court again once the game officially ended.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer addressed the situation after the game, expressing concerns about the safety of his team and staff. He said he had staff members who “got punched in the face” as fans stormed the court. Duke spokesman Kyle Serba confirmed that one person connected to the program was injured but declined to share additional information, citing privacy.
UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham issued a public apology later that night.
“When they rushed the court, a number of people got knocked over,” Cunningham said. “But then we had to clear the court again.”
The ACC confirmed that the fine was issued because this marked UNC’s first offense under the conference’s court-storming policy. The $50,000 penalty will be directed toward a scholarship fund for student-athletes.
After the decision was announced, UNC released a statement saying it accepts the punishment and considers the matter resolved.
“We accept the ACC’s fine for having unauthorized people on the court before Duke and the officials could completely clear the floor on Saturday,” the school said. “The video we have confirms we followed our protocols to get Duke’s players and bench personnel and the game officials off the floor safely. We will continue to review our protocols to provide the highest measures of safety in the event fans rush the court.”
As a result, both schools will continue reviewing safety procedures for future games.