Photo by Jim Davis. Prince George’s County, University of Maryland and Maryland State police were staged on every corner in College Park Saturday night following the Terps’ basketball game against longtime ACC-rival Duke University.

Published on: Friday, February 22, 2013

By Jim Davis

Local law enforcement was present along the streets of College Park Saturday night following the University of Maryland basketball game against Duke University at Comcast Center.

More than 100 police officers from Prince George’s County Police Department, University of Maryland Police Department, U.S. Park Police and Maryland State Police flooded the streets near campus to prevent another incident like the riot three years ago.

As the final horn sounded, more than 100 students ran onto Baltimore Avenue celebrating their team’s 83-81 victory over the Blue Devils, causing police to close down Baltimore Avenue from Paint Branch Parkway to Calvert Road.

As students partied on Baltimore Avenue, climbing trees and poles, police officers on foot and on horseback stood waiting to see the students’ next move. Students made their way down Baltimore Avenue to a large bonfire on campus that University of Maryland Police arranged.

According to Prince George’s County Police officials, two men were arrested for disorderly conduct.

“We are not sure if they were students,” said a police official.

In March 2010, hundreds of rowdy, cheering students poured out of bars and mobbed Baltimore Avenue after Maryland beat Duke. The celebration turned into a riot, as students set small fires, overturned cars, broke out windows of stores and stole merchandise.

In 2001, after the Terrapin basketball team lost a Final Four match-up against Duke, students burned couches and tore Ludwig Field’s soccer goals from the ground, carried them to Fraternity Row and lit them ablaze.

Many students and police believe this will be the last time the Terrapins will face Duke because of the University of Maryland joining the Big Ten Conference.