© Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images
The Clemson basketball team took down No. 2 Duke on Saturday night, 77-71. The court at Littlejohn Coliseum was quickly stormed by students after the fact.
Blue Devils coaches were seen getting physical with those fans in order to protect their players on the floor. Even head coach Jon Scheyer got into the mix.
The exciting college hoops contest came down to the wire, with the home team striking a second half comeback to pull off the upset. The Tigers trailed by six at the halftime break but used a 21-6 run to grab its first lead of the game.
The two sides traded blows throughout the final five minutes of play, with Duke taking a 71-70 advantage on a Cooper Flagg three-pointer with just under a minute left. The Blue Devils wouldn’t score again.
Clemson closed the matchup on a 7-0 run. Victory was secured when a sweaty Flagg slipped before taking a game-tying shot attempt. Rather than tie things up, Duke turned it over and watched the Tigers add to their lead.
Fans flooded the court after the win. The students’ section emptied near the Duke bench, leading coaches to push those court stormers away as they passed by the sidelines.
Duke Head Coach Jon Scheyer and assistants were blocking Clemson fans as they stormed the floor.
They weren’t messing around shoving fans away from their players.
Good on them to protect the players and also grab the players to avoid any injury or fights. #Duke pic.twitter.com/Qkxb75iCVJ
— CHRIS TORELLO 𝕏 (@TorelloSports) February 9, 2025
Court storming has been a topic of conversation in college basketball over the last few seasons. Some believe it to be a fun tradition for fans to enjoy. Others worry for the safety of players on the floor.
The court storming in Clemson was rather uneventful thanks in part to the Duke basketball staff’s actions. By keeping fans as far away from the team as possible, chances of a reaction were minimized.
The Tigers enjoyed the win with their on-court celebration. Duke, meanwhile, left the floor dejected after suffering their third loss of the year.