COLUMBIA - South Carolina students say they are willing to pay a $5,000 fine that the Southeastern Conference could levy against the school after students rushed the court following Tuesday's 73-61 win against No. 3 Kentucky.
The university's Student Senate agreed Wednesday to authorize a donation to the athletic department to cover a possible fine.
"We all got caught up in the moment," said student senator Adam Piper, who sponsored the proposal. "Thus, on behalf of the student body, we would like to help the athletics department with the consequences of our actions."
An SEC policy passed in December bars fans from stepping on a basketball court, football field or any other area where a game takes place before, during or after the contest. The penalty for a first offense is a $5,000 fine, meted out at the discretion of SEC commissioner Mike Slive.
Slive is reviewing the situation, SEC spokesman Charles Bloom said.
The commissioner will consider South Carolina's game-management policies and might not fine the school if he determines officials tried to keep fans from storming the court, Bloom said.
Before every game, South Carolina shows a taped message asking for fans to show sportsmanship. In the waning moments of Tuesday night's game, numerous announcements asking fans to stay off the court were made, and several dozen campus police and arena security officers surrounded the court, holding a yellow rope between them, in an unsuccessful effort to hold the fans back.
"We feel like the procedures we have in place are necessary and provide a safe environment, and we executed them like we do normally," athletic spokesman Kerry Tharp said.
Officials made extra efforts to get Kentucky's team and coach Tubby Smith's wife safely off the court, Tharp said.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.