UConn Taking Steps Before NCAA Title Game to Avoid Ugly Celebrations on Campus
After the UConn men's basketball team's victory in the 2023 national title game, chaos ensued on campus, as students and fans celebrated the championship victory with a wave of vandalism and violence.
With the Huskies poised to repeat in Monday's title game matchup against Purdue, the school is taking steps to avoid the ugliness of last year's celebration, which resulted in several injuries, as well as arrests and expulsions of multiple students.
The University has limited the size of the Gampel Pavilion watch party to 6,700 students-each of whom won tickets to the event through a lottery-and there will be no alcohol sold, as well as no members of the general public allowed in the arena, according to The Associated Press.
Additionally, UConn removed aluminum light posts, which were completely pulled down by students in the carnage last year, from a main road on campus prior to the Huskies' Final Four win over Alabama.
State and local authorities are working together, along with the University police, to ensure an increased presence on campus, per the AP.
UConn has steamrolled through the tournament thus far and is currently favored by 6.5 points over the Boilermakers in the title game, which tips off at 9:20 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
