Fans from Wake Forest bump into Kyle Filipowski of Duke while rushing the floor.

American Wake Forest supporters bump into Duke player Kyle Filipowski as they swarm the floor on February 24, 2024, at 8:29 p.m. EST, according to AP

Kyle Filipowski recalled seeing pictures of Caitlin Clark, the standout player for the Iowa women’s basketball team, getting inadvertently knocked down by a fan who was storming the floor following her team’s shock loss.

After about a month, the 7-foot star from Duke was involved in the same conversation about the risks of court-storming, with an icebag strapped to his kneecap on his right leg. And he was not pleased with the recent events.

After the eighth-ranked Blue Devils lost at Wake Forest on Saturday, Filipowski said, “Just like any other upset game where the fans rush the court, all hell goes crazy.” Filipowski was hurt in a collision with a charging fan. “I’m just trying to leave the court, but these wild college kids are just doing whatever they want, you know? At times like those, it has to be a little more protective.”

Following Iowa’s defeat against Ohio State on January 21, the Clark incident served as a reminder of the dangers faced by coaches and players who are positioned in the way of an encroaching, boisterous crowd that is ready to rejoice near midcourt.

It has long been considered a rite of passage and an integral element of collegiate athletics, particularly in a sport that annually steals the show with its NCAA Tournament “March Madness” extravaganza. However, Saturday was the most recent instance of the potentially explosive mixture that occurs when supporters cross the athletes’ lines up until the final horn; this time, an Associated Press preseason All-American was involved.

When Jon Scheyer, the coach of Duke, took a seat at the table for his postgame news conference, he was prepared to press that point.

“When are we going to ban court-storming?” said Scheyer. “Like, when will that be prohibited? How many times does a player have to engage in situations where they are shoved, punched, or taunted directly in the face? It is a risky endeavor.”

With 1.8 seconds remaining and a four-point deficit, Duke needed a miraculous comeback with a single inbounds pass to win the game. When Mark Mitchell flung a long inbounds ball that Cam Hildreth intercepted close to midcourt, the fans had already made their way down to the court area. Additionally, they were completely full.