SEC Announces Fine For Arkansas' Court Storm Against Duke

The SEC penalized Arkansas after fans stormed the court to celebrate Wednesday night's win over Duke

On Thursday, the SEC announced a $100,000 fine for the school's first violation of a policy prohibiting access to the field of play. A second offense would draw a $250,000 fine, and any ensuing violation would result in a $500,000 punishment.

Arkansas earned an 80-75 upset over No. 7 Duke. Following the victory, fans rushed onto the Bud Walton Arena court in Fayetteville despite a stadium announcement telling them to refrain.

The Razorbacks had dropped consecutive losses to Memphis and North Carolina and were playing without leading scorer Tramon Mark. That didn't halt a huge win in front of 20,344 attendees, the largest crowd in the arena's history.

Khalif Battle led the way with 21 points off the bench. Sophomore forward Trevon Brazile added 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Chandler Lawson swatted six blocks.

"It was awesome. Words can't describe the feeling right now. It's a great win," Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said, per ESPN.

Far from a Cinderella school, Arkansas made the Sweet 16 in the most recent men's tournament after dispatching No. 1 Kansas. The Razorbacks had previously made back-to-back trips to the Elite Eight, with the Blue Devils sending them home in 2022.

Winning as a 4.5-point underdog isn't quite an all-time upset, but the SEC's anti-storming policy didn't deter fans from continuing the ritual.

The home crowd shouldn't invade the court again if Arkansas defeats Furman on Monday night.