Immediately after the Bobcats won their first game in the NCAA championship tonight, hundreds of fans flooded Court Street forcing police officers to break up the crowds.
The Athens Police Department, Athens County Sheriff's Office and Ohio University Police Department were on duty to cover the crowds, said APD Chief Rick Mayer. Mayer said there were not that many arrests, but APD did have to call in extra officers.
The crowd poured into the streets at about 9:40 p.m. and dissipated about an hour later, according to a news release from Mayer.
At least three officers stood in the streets near the corner of Court and State Street wearing riot helmets, but the rest of the officers were in standard uniform.
I live behind Lucky's (Sports Tavern) and I heard a roar (after the game ended)
said OU senior John DeChant, who is studying media management.
People were jumping on cars and waving their OU shirts in the air, said Marcus Johnson a junior exercise physiology major.
People in several apartments above The Pub threw rolls of toilet paper out the window to the crowd.
Mayer said he thought students would be gone for spring break or studying instead of in the streets.
I didn't think something this stupid would happen he said.
-Dave Hendricks contributed to this report.
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Gail Burkhardt
