Fans took to Hillsborough Street to celebrate the men’s basketball team’s 22-point win over the No. 6 Duke Blue Devils Wednesday. Just moments after the final whistle, students and fans were seen sprinting down Hillsborough Street to get to the belltower. Those students were soon joined by hundreds more, coming from campus and the game, where they just finished storming the court inside PNC Arena.
Streaming out of their apartments and running down the road towards NC State’s historic Memorial Belltower, fans could be heard screaming everything ranging from “Let’s go Wolfpack,” to “F— Duke.”
After just over an hour of waiting, some players and head coach Kevin Keatts made their appearance, posing for pictures and celebrating with Wolfpack nation. Keatts also addressed the gathered fans, standing on top of the small brick wall by the traffic circle.
“I want to personally thank you guys, because you’re the best in the country,” Keatts said. “We can have a great basketball team, we can have all great programs, but it starts with you. This is your team, this is your school. I love your school spirit, I appreciate all you do for us, we love you guys. Go Pack!”
As the crowd grew, fans that attended the game continued to flock to the base of the Belltower, the chants got louder and the police eventually closed both ends of Hillsborough and fans spread from the sidewalks to the middle of the street.
Prior to the players and Keatts arriving, with fans gathered around the traffic circle at the base of the Belltower, the crowd began to uproot street signs. Police quickly confiscated the signs, removing the signs from the crowd.
According to Raleigh Police, there were no arrests or citations given out during the celebrations, and the crowd dispersed after about two hours.
One fan, dubbed “Tree Boy” by his fellow celebrants, earned his nickname for climbing the tree just outside of the Belltower fence. While in the tree, “Tree Boy” led a loud Wolf-Pack call and response chant.
Despite all the chaos, Raleigh Police reported no injuries and kept the crowd in decent control.
NC State alumni and students know rushing the belltower is a must-do while attending the university, whether you’re a sports fan or not. And as this team continues to improve and play in the ACC with a number of top local teams, there should be plenty more opportunities to do so.
