Duke Staff Member Injured During North Carolina Court-Storming Incident
A Duke University staff member sustained a bloody lip after being caught in a chaotic court-storming event following the Blue Devils’ narrow defeat against their rivals, the University of North Carolina. Duke’s head coach, Jon Scheyer, confirmed the staff member’s condition on Monday, stating, “After the game, what happened was I came back in the locker room and I see he’s got a bloody lip and he’s disheveled and he didn’t know what happened, he got trampled on the floor.” Scheyer assured that the staffer is recovering well and is ready to move on from the incident.
The intense match concluded with the fourth-ranked Blue Devils losing 71-68 to the eleventh-ranked Tar Heels, following Seth Trimble’s decisive 3-pointer with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock. The Smith Center court was rushed by fans who mistakenly believed the game had ended, prompting security to clear the area for a final play. The crowd stormed the court again after the game officially concluded.
Amidst the post-game chaos, Scheyer reported that Duke staff members were “punched in the face,” and footage showed a fan throwing an object resembling a bottle toward the Blue Devils. A Duke representative later confirmed an injury but refrained from providing additional details due to privacy concerns. Scheyer emphasized the severity of the situation, noting, “One of our guys, he got hit in the face, got trampled. Looked like he had been in a complete brawl after the game. He’s doing better now, but that should never happen.”
In response to the incident, Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis acknowledged his conversation with Scheyer, while UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham issued an apology and referenced the injury. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) imposed a $50,000 fine on UNC following the event, adhering to their policy on unauthorized court rushes established in July.
UNC accepted the ACC’s decision, stating, “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 video we have reviewed confirms we followed our protocols to get Duke’s players and bench personnel and the game officials off the floor safely.” The university emphasized its commitment to reviewing safety protocols to prevent future occurrences, concluding, “We consider this matter closed and look forward to the rest of the season.”
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