CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The ACC fined North Carolina $50,000 for violating the league’s event security policy after fans rushed the court following the Tar Heels’ 71-68 win over Duke on Saturday at the Dean E. Smith Center, the conference announced Sunday night.

Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer said staff members got punched in the face during UNC’s court storming Saturday. The court flooded with fans — not once, but twice — after North Carolina senior guard Seth Trimble hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining.

Last July, the ACC announced it would be implementing fines for schools when spectators enter the playing field.

UNC athletics said in a statement on Sunday evening, “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 statement read. “We will continue to review our protocols to provide the highest measures of safety in the event fans rush the court. We consider this matter closed and look forward to the rest of the season.”

A Duke spokesperson confirmed late Saturday night that one Blue Devils staff member sustained an injury, but declined to provide any further information. UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham also said after the game that somebody was injured, adding that the university will review video to understand what happened. He described the situation as “unfortunate.”

Saturday marked the second time in three seasons Duke has been at the center of a court storming done awry. In February 2024, Blue Devils starting forward Kyle Filipowski was struck by a fan at LJVM Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C., after Wake Forest upset then-No. 8 Duke, 83-79.

“I absolutely feel like it was personal,” Filipowski said after the game.

Scheyer also spoke out after that 2024 incident, saying, “when are we going to ban court storming?”

“How many times does a player have to get into something where they get punched or they get pushed or they get taunted right in their face?” Scheyer said in 2024. “It’s a dangerous thing.”

On Saturday in Chapel Hill, Scheyer was asked if he’s in favor of court storming. The Duke coach said he didn’t have any issues with it, so long as everything is handled safely.

“Just shouldn’t have people getting punched in the face,” Scheyer said Saturday. “Shouldn’t put our players in position where they’re face-to-face with people who can do anything at that time. It just takes one reaction. Even today, I had to push people away just to try to protect our players."

“They won, they should celebrate,” Scheyer later added. “They want to court-storm, court-storm. But just let’s get our guys off safely, that’s it.”

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