MU storming the court

[APieperFan3]

When we clinch our first and maybe only Big East title this year (given conference realignment), let's all agree to storm.

...and when you storm, you have to yell your MUScoop alias...

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I ended up on the floor after the 2004 Dameon Mason game against Louisville, but it was pretty underwhelming. Only about 30-50 students or so made it onto the floor before security regained control. The last full-on court-storming was after beating Cincinnati on Senior Day in 2003 to win conference USA outright.

Before the Georgetown game in 2006, Crean invited a few of the regulars who would line up hours ahead of time (myself included) inside out of the cold to watch the team's walkthrough. At the end of the walkthrough, he invited us down to the floor level to "practice storming the court." Steve Novak tossed up a three, swished it, and the group of maybe 20-25 kids ran onto the floor screaming and high-fiving the players. One of my friends got damn near leapfrogged by Ousmane Barro, and at one point I recall Jerel McNeal or Dominic James piggybacking on my back.

We ended up beating Georgetown to basically seal a spot in the tournament, but no rushings took place.

as a student, that would be awesome.  in retrospect, what a typical I4 event.

[Windyplayer]

I do not recall the students storming the court in the Louisville game you mention.  After the FT, Louisville still had a chance to inbound.  Maybe a couple made it on, but I am seriously questioning that.

The Cincy game in '03, they stormed the court.  Not because of beating Cincy, but because of winning the C-USA Championship.

Like I said, not really a storming, per se, but I and other were on the court and we were not supposed to be and we left the court without being escorted (or arrested). In that sense, it was a storming.

And to storm the court it doesn't have to be after a shot goes in as time expires. A big win is a big win no matter how it ends.

[THRILLHO]

Early in '98-'99 season after beating Cinci, and then again in '02 (I think).


I remember there was a great photo of the crowd with someone waving a big American flag.  

found it...
http://www.replayphotos.com/marquettephotos/campus-print/fans-storm-court-beat-bearcats_14463.cfm

Funny story, I was the one who brought the flag to that game.  That was the season following 9/11, so flags and outward signs of patriotism were everywhere, though in retrospect I'm surprised they let us bring it in since it was on a rusty sharp metal rod.  Anyways, the night before my next door neighbors came over after bar close, they were wasted and had stolen the flag off of an apartment building and were waving it around in a patriotic fervor.  The next morning we got up for the game and started drinking early and ran all the way down to the BC in the freezing cold waving the flag.  We managed to get into the front row of the student section and waved the flag regularly.  When the game was over we all rushed the court, and I brought the flag on.  Soon everyone was on the court, and someone next to me was sitting on his friend's shoulders, and asked for the flag.  I handed it up to him and eventually he made it into the (to me) famous shot of D. Wade in the crowd next to the flag.  After that I'm not sure where it went, but it ended up in so many photos of the game, and I think it really makes the pictures seem timeless.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Funny story, I was the one who brought the flag to that game.  That was the season following 9/11, so flags and outward signs of patriotism were everywhere, though in retrospect I'm surprised they let us bring it in since it was on a rusty sharp metal rod.  Anyways, the night before my next door neighbors came over after bar close, they were wasted and had stolen the flag off of an apartment building and were waving it around in a patriotic fervor.  The next morning we got up for the game and started drinking early and ran all the way down to the BC in the freezing cold waving the flag.  We managed to get into the front row of the student section and waved the flag regularly.  When the game was over we all rushed the court, and I brought the flag on.  Soon everyone was on the court, and someone next to me was sitting on his friend's shoulders, and asked for the flag.  I handed it up to him and eventually he made it into the (to me) famous shot of D. Wade in the crowd next to the flag.  After that I'm not sure where it went, but it ended up in so many photos of the game, and I think it really makes the pictures seem timeless.

That was an awesome story!

[buckchuckler]

After beating Cincy in 03 (I think 03) to clinch the CUSA title.

Yes indeed sir.

[THRILLHO]

That was an awesome story!

Thanks, between that game, the UW game in 02-03 where we smoked them, and running down to the lakefront after beating UK to advance to the final four, I have a lot of great MU bball memories.  Now that I think about it though, I'm starting to have doubts about what year the UC game was (getting old I guess!). I could've sworn it was right after 9/11 but in checking the wiki I see we beat them in 2003 to win CUSA at the end of the year.  In 2002 I believe they were ranked #1 at the time which would've been our reason for storming the court.  If I had to bet I'd still bet on '02 but not super confidently.

[PaintTouches]

Thanks, between that game, the UW game in 02-03 where we smoked them, and running down to the lakefront after beating UK to advance to the final four, I have a lot of great MU bball memories.  Now that I think about it though, I'm starting to have doubts about what year the UC game was (getting old I guess!). I could've sworn it was right after 9/11 but in checking the wiki I see we beat them in 2003 to win CUSA at the end of the year.  In 2002 I believe they were ranked #1 at the time which would've been our reason for storming the court.  If I had to bet I'd still bet on '02 but not super confidently.

Even MU Athletic is confused. They have the photo filed under 2001-02 but the caption as saying it was to clinch the 2003 Conference USA Title. http://marquetteimages.com/viewphoto.php?&albumId=136486&imageId=4859815&page=1&imagepos=3

[Litehouse]

Like I said man: good luck. The barricade/security policy was implemented after every single storming of the court that this thread has referenced. Prior to the CUSA championship there was little, if any, attempt to prevent going onto the court. In the years since then it has become considerably more difficult to do so. Just because it happened in the past doesn't mean it absolutely will happen in the future.

It has always been extremely difficult at the BC, it didn't start in 2003.  Back in the mid-90's they had the barricades and a small army of the blue blazers that would come out in a show of force to beat back any attempted storming.  There were some failed attempts.  The configuration of the student section makes it extremely difficult, since there are very few access points to the floor.  Besides the few people in the 100 section, the rest of the student section funnels into only one aisle that can access the floor, so it's easy for security to deny access.

[MUMac]

Like I said, not really a storming, per se, but I and other were on the court and we were not supposed to be and we left the court without being escorted (or arrested). In that sense, it was a storming.

And to storm the court it doesn't have to be after a shot goes in as time expires. A big win is a big win no matter how it ends.

True, but my point with that comment is that it was the shot and foul that would have created the storming.  Not beating Louisville.  After Diener had the phantom 5th foul, if Mason's shot were at the buzzer, I could understand fans taking the court.  Louisville was good, but that was the year after making the Final 4 and a victory over Louisville itself would not be worthy of storming the court (IMHO).

[spartan3186]

It has always been extremely difficult at the BC, it didn't start in 2003.  Back in the mid-90's they had the barricades and a small army of the blue blazers that would come out in a show of force to beat back any attempted storming.  There were some failed attempts.  The configuration of the student section makes it extremely difficult, since there are very few access points to the floor.  Besides the few people in the 100 section, the rest of the student section funnels into only one aisle that can access the floor, so it's easy for security to deny access.

I worked with one of the security guards during my part time job at Pick N' Save when I was in school. I asked him about storming the court and he basically said that if all the students started coming, they are not going to stop you. None of the security guards want to get trampled. They just put up the barriers as a deterrent, and apparently it has worked pretty well given all of the comments here.

Basically, just get everybody unified and no one is going to stop you.

[Skitch]

What we need is for the alumni to instigate the court rush.  While security is focused on the student section maybe have the jumping guy and freeway and various other "grown ups" rush the court and create a diversion allowing the students to make their move.