NEW ORLEANS — Tulane says it is investigating after a fan who was part of the sellout crowd pushed a Memphis player in the back during the storming of the court following the Green Wave’s win over the 10th ranked Tigers Sunday.
It was the second high-profile “storm the court” injury on the day. Iowa women’s hoops star Caitlin Clark and an Ohio State fan storming the court collided Sunday as the Buckeyes upset the Hawkeyes.
Clark was knocked to the ground, along with the fan, and while she appeared dazed at the time, she seemed fine afterward.
In the Tulane game, an unidentified, shirtless fan was seen on video putting his hands on and gently pushing Memphis’ David Jones.
ESPN reported on the incident and quoted a statement from Tulane.
"This type of behavior is unacceptable and these are actions that are not condoned by Tulane Athletics or the University," Tulane said in a statement, via ESPN. "We are following up on this matter and have been in contact with the University of Memphis and the American Athletic Conference office. Ensuring the safety of everyone at Tulane Athletics events will always be our highest priority and we will continue to be vigilant in this regard moving forward."
The push in the Tulane game did not seem to result in any injury to Jones, but it, and the Clark incident, are once again showcasing the potential danger of court rushing when exuberant hometown fans have nearly unfettered access to opposing players.
The SEC is among conferences that impose fines on schools when fans rush the field in football or the court in basketball and more measures are likely to come after these on court incidents.\
