University of Arizona Loses, Students Riot

15 arrested in Tucson after team suffers narrow overtime loss
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 30, 2014 6:59 AM CDT
University of Arizona Loses, Students Riot
Students clash against Tucson police officers on University Avenue, Saturday, March 29, 2014 after Arizona's loss to Wisconsin 64-63.   (AP Photo/Arizona Daily Star, Carlos Herrera)

Wisconsin handed the University of Arizona a narrow overtime loss last night, and the student body cheering on the latter didn't exactly take it well, clogging a main thoroughfare in Tucson and chucking beer bottles and firecrackers at pepper spray-wielding police officers. Police eventually managed to clear the streets, but arrested 15 people along the way; of those, 14 were released, reports the AP. A police spokesman says that crowds emptied out of bars and restaurants along University Boulevard after the game, and refused to leave in spite of warnings via a PA system and social media.

A witness says everything was going swimmingly until "people got in cops' faces" and cans started flying. Deadspin notes that things quickly deteriorated to the point that students were shot with bean bags; the Daily Wildcat chronicled events via its Twitter feed. Meanwhile, the Florida Gators became the first team to advance to the Final Four last night. (More University of Arizona stories.)

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