yahoo - 2/6/2026 5:11:20 PM - GMT (+2 )
The West Coast Conference has fined the University of Portland $5,000 for a violation of the conference's court storming policy.
Following an 87-80 upset victory for the Pilots over the Bulldogs on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the Chiles Center in Portland, fans rushed the court to celebrate the biggest upset victory in program history. The win ended a 30-game losing streak for the Pilots against AP Poll top-10 teams.
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The victory came with coach Shantay Legans injured on the sidelines after he sustained an injury days before playing with the scout team to prepare for the matchup against the Bulldogs.
The feel-good story was not enough for Portland to avoid a fine from the conference.
"The safety of our student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans is always our top priority,” West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson said in a statement. “While we understand the excitement and emotion that come with an exciting victory, our policy is in place to ensure that these celebrations happen safely. We have imposed this fine to reinforce the importance of following these safety measures, and we will continue to work with our membership to uphold a safe environment for every competition."
Portland built up a six-point halftime lead and was able to hold off Gonzaga in the second half for the victory. Joel Foxwell scored a game-high 27 points and added eight assists. They entered the game as 21 1/2-point underdogs.
The fine of $5,000 will be donated to MENTOR, an organization associated with the late Bill Russell. The West Coast Conference policy ― which was adopted in November 2023 ― is to ensure members of the visiting team, coaches, officials and administrative staff have the opportunity to safely leave the playing surface prior to fans entering the court.
A subsequent offense for the Pilots would result in a fine of up to $25,000 (second offense) and up to $50,000 (third offense), in the same season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WCC fines Portland after fans rush court following win vs Gonzaga
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