Duke staffers ‘punched within the face’ throughout UNC court-storming, coach says

[ad_1] NEW Now you can take heed to Fox Information articles!

Duke Blue Devils employees members "obtained punched within the face" as North Carolina Tar Heels followers stormed the courtroom in celebration of their rivalry win, head coach Jon Scheyer mentioned Saturday.

No. 14 North Carolina topped No. 4 Duke, 71-68, after Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left. Tar Heels fans hit the court considering the sport was over however needed to be corralled again to their seats as soon as officers added lower than a second again to the clock.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts within the first half at Dean E. Smith Heart on Feb. 7, 2026. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Photographs)

Scheyer mentioned that among the workforce’s employees members took hits throughout the fracas.

"For me it is laborious to speak in regards to the sport after I was most involved only for the security of our gamers after the sport," Scheyer mentioned. "I do not need to make it about that, as a result of Carolina, they performed a fantastic sport to win. And that is a heartbreaking loss for our workforce.

"I obtained employees members that obtained punched within the face. My household, pushing folks away, making an attempt to not get trampled. That is not what this sport is about."

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham mentioned he apologized for the incident, however didn’t have particulars on any accidents.

"After they rushed the courtroom, a lot of folks obtained knocked over," Cunningham mentioned. "However then we needed to clear the courtroom once more. So once we usually have one thing like simply speeding the courtroom and the sport is over, we do have a line by the benches to get folks off safely.

North Carolina followers take the ground and have fun after the workforce defeated Duke within the last seconds of an NCAA faculty basketball sport Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (AP Photograph/Chris Seward)

UTAH TECH BASKETBALL PLAYER PUNCHES OPPONENT AFTER GETTING DUNKED ON IN VIRAL INCIDENT

"Clearly, if any individual obtained injured, that is simply actually, actually disappointing. We'll do one of the best we are able to to be sure that does not occur, however once more, my apologies to Duke for that."

A Duke official informed a number of retailers that one particular person tied to this system had been injured however had no different particulars.

Scheyer and Duke had an identical incident occur after Duke misplaced to Wake Forest in 2022. Then-Blue Devils participant Kyle Filipowski was shaken up after a Demon Deacon fan collided with him throughout their celebration.

Scheyer, who puzzled in 2022 when court-storming was going to be banned, was requested whether or not he nonetheless believed it needs to be prohibited.

"Simply should not have folks getting punched within the face," he mentioned. "Should not put our gamers in place the place they're face-to-face with individuals who can do something at the moment. It simply takes one response. Even right now, I needed to push folks away simply to attempt to shield our gamers.

North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) celebrates with followers after an NCAA faculty basketball sport towards Duke, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (AP Photograph/Chris Seward)

"They gained, they need to have fun. They need to court-storm, court-storm. However simply let's get our guys off safely, that is it. That is the place I am at with that."