Missouri's men's basketball team got a big win over Alabama at home on Wednesday night with an upset that certainly would have justified fans storming the court. However, Tigers head coach Dennis Gates stepped in to successfully prevent the school from getting hit with a massive fine -- although he was showered with plenty of boos as a result.
College basketball historians seem to agree fans stormed the court for the first time all the way back in 1950 courtesy of supporters of The City College of New York who made their way onto the playing surface at Madison Square Garden in the wake of a championship win.
That beloved tradition is still alive and well 75 years later, but there's been some pushback against it in recent years due to somewhat justified safety concerns given the risk players and fans alike are exposed to when those chaotic scenes break out.
It's been more than 20 years since the SEC started cracking down on the practice by fining schools if their fans storm the court (or rush the football field), and as things currently stand, its members are forced to cough up $100,000 for the first violation, $250,000 for the second, and $500,000 for the third and any that transpire thereafter.
However, that hasn't really been enough to deter the spectators who aren't held personally liable for the penalties in question, and there's only so much the powers that be can do to prevent them from invading to celebrate the big wins that commonly come in the form of an upset.
In January, Vanderbilt's athletic director unsuccessfully attempted to save the school $500K by trying to reason with fans who nonetheless stormed the court after the Commodores topped Kentucky.
On Wednesday, Missouri men's basketball coach Dennis Gates had a bit more success after hopping on the mic in the closing seconds of the contest where his No. 15 Tigers earned a 110-98 victory over No. 4 Alabama in front of a rocking crowd at Mizzou Arena.
Gates repeatedly stated "Please do not rush the court," and while the students he was primarily addressing ultimately respected that request, he was subjected to plenty of boos after he rained on the impending parade that was subsequently called off.
Missouri earned its first SEC fine in 2023 when the football team beat No. 15 Kansas State with a field goal as time expired and forked over $250,000 earlier this season when fans stormed the court after the then-unranked Tigers beat No. 1 Kansas.
That means Gates warded off a $500,000 fine for what would have been the third violation, and after the game, he bluntly stated "We need that money to go to NIL" while saying he also had safety in mind, adding, " I hope that becomes a normal thing."
I'd be lying if I said I agreed with that second stance, but I can't necessarily blame him.