Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski was visibly frustrated after the Blue Devils loss on Thursday night and it wasn't just about basketball, as he was noticeably frustrated with the lack of security for the team as Virginia fans flooded the court after an upset.
According to ESPN.com, after the complaints by Krzyzewski, the ACC is now expected to discuss the safety issues surrounding court storming by fans and whether they should impose fines on teams for allowing it. The SEC currently has a fine system regarding storming the court that has greatly diminished the amount fans have done it. One athletic director told ESPN.com on Friday about the possibility of raising the issue.
"If they don't bring it up, I promise you I will resurrect the discussion,'' the AD said.
The SEC system offers a scale of fines, with $5,000 for a first offense, $25,000 for a second, $50,000 for a third. The conference put the fine system in place in 2004, but no other conference has imposed a fine system yet.
Duke officials said on Friday that security stopped Duke players and staff at the Virginia bench while fans came out on the court instead of allowing the team to get off the floor. The official also added that there were enough staff members to help get the team off the court.
Duke has been the victim of court storming in the past due to their consistent success and it has already happened three other times this season after losses against Miami, NC State, Maryland and Virginia.
Krzyzewski was frustrated after the game and expressed concern for his players and his staff after the incident.
"Look, do you know how close you are to -- just put yourself in the position of one of our players or coaches," Krzyzewski said, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. "I'm not saying any fan did this, but the potential is there all the time for a fan to just go up to you and say, 'Coach, you're a [expletive],' or push you or hit you. And what do you do? What if you did something? That would be the story. We deserve that type of protection."
