Vanderbilt upsetting No. 1 Florida to snap the defending champions’ 17-game winning streak is almost like David slaying Goliaith. The only difference was 14,316 others pining to celebrate with the underdog.

With the emergence of successful small programs around the country, there are a lot more Davids and a lot fewer Goliaths. The line between the national powerhouses and lowly mid-majors is blurred. Storming the court at the end of big wins is more prevalent than ever before.

Though most conferences leave crowd control to the individual member schools, the Southeastern Conference took matters into its own hands. In December 2004, the 12 SEC athletic directors unanimously agreed to financial penalties if fans rush the floor after football or basketball games, at the discretion of the commissioner.

The decision went relatively unnoticed for more than two years. Vanderbilt was fined $5,000 in March 2005 when its fans rushed the floor after a second-round NIT win over Wichita State, but the public and media were generally unaware of the policy.

But on Feb. 18, the SEC fined Vanderbilt the maximum $25,000 for a second offense, sparking a national debate about the policy and the appropriateness of this heralded tradition.

‘We have found that institutions now pay more attention to our postgame sportsmanship policies because of the penalty,’ SEC Associate Commissioner for Media Relations Charles Bloom said. ‘It’s a proactive measure so institutions put plans into place to stop fans from storming the court.’

The SEC maintains the policy was in response to several incidents where athletes were injured in the throng of fans crowding at halfcourt. Florida athletic directory Jeremy Foley became the biggest proponent of the policy just months before it was implemented, after a Georgia fan threw a punch at former Gators guard Matt Walsh in 2004.

Earlier that year, Joe Kay, a two-sport star at Tucson High School with a volleyball scholarship to Stanford, was trampled and paralyzed by students trying to carry him off the court after beating a neighborhood rival.

In this latest incident between Florida and Vanderbilt, television cameras caught Gators freshman Brandon Powell taking a swing at a Commodore fan who inadvertently bumped him during the celebration. The SEC deemed the punch was out of self-defense, and Powell was not suspended.

‘You get a little bit of, ‘School X does it, why can’t we do it?” Bloom said. ‘But the fine structure is in place to prevent student-athletes from becoming entangled with fans, like what happened in the Florida-Vanderbilt game. We feel it is definitely a deterrent.’

Individual SEC schools are still responsible for making students aware of the policy. In the days leading up to the Florida game, there was a full-page advertisement in the Vanderbilt Hustler warning students not to rush the court should the Commodores win.

Even the best plans, though, cannot stop a crowd determined to get to the court. The SEC reduces or eliminates the fine if the conference believes the violating school took all viable preventive measures. Vanderbilt did appeal the $25,000 fine. The SEC concluded that despite the newspaper ad, there was not enough security for a game against such a good team.

That leaves schools in a precarious situation: keeping students off the court and maintaining a rowdy, unified student section. Because Division I basketball is an integral part of school spirit and tradition at SEC schools, officials are hesitant to move students the upper levels.

‘We’ve had several positive and very engaging conversations with our student leaders and their constituents, and they understand the situation and what’s at stake,’ Vanderbilt Assistant Vice Chancellor Brock Williams said. ‘There will be some more security in the future, but we’re not going to tackle kids and throw them back in the stands. We partnered with our students and trust them that this will not happen again.’

No other conference in Division I penalizes schools whose fans storm the floor at the end of games. Many were unaware the SEC even has a set policy. West Coast Conference Associate Commissioner Gloria Nevarez and Missouri Valley Conference Associate Commissioner for Communications Mike Kern said students rushing the court after games is barely an issue in their conferences.

There have been no major injuries to a D-I player because of students storming the court, so most conferences are not compelled to team with the SEC. But the trend continues to the point that rushing the court has become fashionable – something every class has to do before it graduates.

Because college basketball is booming in both popularity and coverage, students around the country see their fellow college students on SportsCenter running onto the court and celebrating seemingly every night.

‘Television dictates rushing the floor,’ Pac-10 Assistant Commissioner for Communications Dave Hirsch said. ‘We tell our television partners to keep from showing students running onto the floor because it gives people the idea to get on TV next time.’

Media outlets have not honored the Pac-10’s and other conferences’ requests, saying that students rushing the court is ‘an event,’ Hirsch said.

There have been five different No. 1 teams this season. As top teams continue to lose, fans will continue to storm the court.

‘I feel for those teams who have had histories of losing that are now finally starting to win, and they should be able to celebrate,’ Hirsch said. ‘But do you have to do it on the floor? Why can’t you do it in the stands?’

Brigham Young at No. 25 Air Force Tonight, 9 p.m.

By losing to UNLV and TCU last week, Air Force all but ended its chances of winning the Mountain West Conference. Brigham Young leads the conference at 11-3, and a win over the Falcons guarantees it at least a share of the lead going into the conference tournament.

Brigham Young 70, Air Force 68

No. 7 Texas A&M at No. 15 Texas Wednesday, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Texas A&M showed again why it belongs in the top 10 by bouncing back from a disappointing loss to Texas Tech by winning three straight. The Aggies enter this one deadlocked with Kansas for the Big 12 lead at 12-2, while the Longhorns are just a game behind.

Texas A&M 74, Texas 71

No. 2 UCLA at No. 13 Washington State Thursday, 10 p.m., FSN

Washington State is 14-1 at home, but welcomes its toughest competition yet against UCLA. The Cougars need a win and some help just to tie the Bruins for the Pac-10 title. UCLA been a top-five team all year, and arrive in Pullman, Wash., on a four-game winning streak.

UCLA 84, Washington State 76

Arizona at Stanford Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Both of these teams have spent time in the rankings this season, but have been unpredictable. Stanford has beaten four ranked teams, including UCLA, but has lost two straight. Arizona is 5-5 in its last 10. Despite the squads’ inconsistencies, they appear Tournament-bound.

Stanford 83, Arizona 77

Syracuse at Villanova Saturday, 2 p.m., ESPN

Syracuse’s win over Georgetown Monday all but punched its ticket for the NCAA Tournament. Villanova still has something to play for, though, and will be looking for revenge at home after losing to SU earlier in the year.

Villanova 75, Syracuse 70

Published on February 26, 2007 at 12:00 pm