Coronavirus

Over 100 people gather at Castle Court after SU NCAA Tournament wins

Emily Steinberger | Photo Editor

SPD blocked off streets in the area as those at the gathering began to disperse down Comstock and Euclid avenues.

By Maggie HicksSenior staff writer

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More than 100 people, many without masks, gathered at Castle Court on Sunday night following victories from Syracuse University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams in the NCAA Tournament. 

The group shouted in celebration as cars passing by honked their horns before the Syracuse Police Department dispatched officers to Harrison Street and the corner of Walnut Avenue and Walnut Place. SPD spokesperson Sgt. Matthew Malinowski confirmed that the department broke up a “large parking lot party” shortly after.

SPD blocked off streets in the area as those at the gathering began to disperse down Comstock and Euclid avenues. Hoards of cars and students continued filling the streets around SU’s campus after SPD broke up the party.

SU men’s basketball team defeated West Virginia University 75-72 on Sunday, entering the tournament’s Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018. The women’s basketball team beat South Dakota State 72-55 in its first game in the NCAA Tournament.

In past years, hundreds of students have packed into the Castle Court parking lot to celebrate the victories of SU’s sports teams.

Students also gathered on Comstock Avenue and throughout the University Neighborhood, with the county’s 911 dispatch log showing that SPD responded to several COVID-19 violations at houses in the area. 

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The university implores students to celebrate and act responsibly, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, in a statement.

“We appreciate our students are excited about our basketball teams’ wins tonight in their respective NCAA tournaments,” Scalese said. “However, now is not the time to let our guard down nor is it acceptable for our students to willfully disregard public health guidelines and the Stay Safe Pledge.”

SU is currently tracking a coronavirus cluster emerging in Main Campus residence halls. There were 92 active cases on campus among students in central New York as of Sunday and 275 students in quarantine.





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