Storming the Court Is a Given After Beating Duke
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1883447458.htmlNorth Carolina State's upset victory over then-No. 1 Duke on Saturday was a mild surprise. What happened immediately afterward was no shock at all.
When the final buzzer sounded, Wolfpack fans stormed onto the court to celebrate. If the sight of dejected Duke players walking toward the locker room as opposing fans partied on the court looked familiar, that is because it is. When Duke loses on the road, the home team's fans rush the court-almost every single time.
In the past 10 seasons, Duke has lost 31 true road games. Fans rushed the court after 25 of them (80.6%). They have rushed the court after blowouts, like Clemson fans did in 2009 after a 27-point beat-down. They have rushed the court after nail-biters as Maryland fans did in 2005. And it isn't just fans of unranked teams who rush the floor: In March 2005, fans of then-No. 2 North Carolina spilled onto the court after beating the Blue Devils, even though the Tar Heels were ranked four spots better than them at the time.
The practice has become so common that just last week, a reporter asked Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski if he remembered the last time a road crowd failed to rush the court. He said he didn't.
"That's a sign of respect, a sign that it means something," said Krzyzewski, whose team slid to No. 3 in the Associated Press poll.
Just last season, however, Ohio State fans "disrespected" Duke by staying in their seats after the No. 2 Buckeyes defeated the No. 3 Blue Devils.
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