Kentucky fans run riot, burn jerseys and hurl liquor bottles in the streets as they take NCAA final defeat badly (… and Uconn students smash up their OWN campus in celebration of victory)

Students ran wild after Connecticut beat Kentucky 60-54 in the NCAA final

Kentucky students faced off with riot police near their campus in Lexington

Uconn students smashed windows and trashed furniture during their party



Riot police faced off with students at the University of Kentucky last night as disappointed fans lit fires and hurled liquor bottles after their team lost the NCAA final.

Drunk fans took to the streets of Lexington in large numbers, clutching bottles of whisky, burning team jerseys and smashing street furniture as police in hard hats fought to contain the disorder.

One student at the college was pictured being led away with blood streaming down her face after being struck by a liquor bottle thrown with abandon.



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Anger: University of Kentucky fans and students take to the streets near the campus in Lexington after the University of Connecticut defeated Kentucky in the NCAA Men's National Basketball Championship

Disappointment: Kentucky fans gather at the intersection of Elizabeth and State Streets near campus in Lexington, Kentucky, and burn team jerseys after their players lost 64-50 to University of Connecticut

Blood: A Lexington police officer dressed in riot gear carries an injured University of Kentucky student after she was hit on the head with a bottle hurled by an angry fan

Chaotic: University of Kentucky fans gesticulate at a burning jersey during their losing party, which prompted a response from armed police

Riot police line up in an effort to contain the disorder near the university campus in Lexington

The agony of defeat: Kentucky's losing party continued until late in the night

The violent scenes came as fans of the winning team at the University of Connecticut smashed windows, broke street lights and trashed furniture in celebration of their team's triumph.

Thousands danced in the rain in the campus plaza where college officials had hired a DJ and soundsystem in a vain effort to keep students under control.

But while many enjoyed the moment with good-natured celebration, others hung from trees and light poles or hurled firecrackers. At one point, a firework burst just above the boiling crowd - sparking screams and panic among those below.



Jubilation: University of Connecticut students celebrate their team's 60-54 victory over Kentucky in the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game last night

Crowd control: Connecticut State Police use dogs to clear students from campus after celebrations boiled over

Aftermath: Connecticut State Police move students away from the student union area, where college officials had laid on a sound system, as paramedics treat some students who had fallen ill after drinking too much

Uconn campus police had made 30 arrests by the early hours of this morning, while state police had made others and more were expected over the outburst of rowdy celebrations across the college grounds.

'A lot of it was alcohol-related,' said university spokesman Tom Breen. 'There was breach of peace, destruction of property, and we had a fireworks charge.'

Most of the property damage was minor, he added, and no serious injuries had been reported.

Despite the rowdy scenes, Uconn Police Chief Barbara O'Connor said that 'by far, most of our students have conducted themselves safely and responsibly.'

Hero worship: Connecticut students raise their arms during a UConn free throw while they watch the broadcast inside the Gampel Pavilion of the UConn and Kentucky men's basketball game for the NCAA title

Bread and circuses: More than 10,000 UConn students had shaken the stands inside the Pavilion, before erupting in cheers and storming the floor as the Huskies beat Kentucky 60-54 in the NCAA title game

Jubilation: Students waited in line for up to four hours to get a seat inside the arena just to watch on three big screens as their team played 1,700 miles away in Arlington, Texas

More than 10,000 UConn students had shaken the stands inside Gampel Pavilion, before erupting in cheers and storming the arena floor as the Huskies beat Kentucky 60-54 in the NCAA title game.

The victory gave the university its fourth national championship - and its second in four years.

'I'm just so happy to be a Husky right now,' said Mike Butkus, a 21-year-old senior from Naugatuck. 'So much pride. The last 20 years, you'd be hard-pressed to find a program more successful than us.'

Critic: UConn's Shabazz Napier was named Outstanding Player as his team took the NCAA Championship. He has been outspoken in criticizing support for college athletes

Hungry: UConn guard Shabazz Napier complained early in April that he often goes to bed hungry because he can't afford food. Days later, the NCAA announced a lifting of restrictions on free food provided to college athletes

Bright career ahead: This was Napier's last game as a college student

Hungry: UConn guard Shabazz Napier complained early in April that he often goes to bed hungry because he can't afford food. Days later, the NCAA announced a lifting of restrictions on free food provided to college athletes

Students waited in line for up to four hours to get a seat inside the arena just to watch on three big screens as their team played 1,700 miles away in Arlington, Texas.

The arena was filled a half-hour after the doors opened, and hundreds more fans were turned away.

'It's my first year of college, you've got to go big,' said Ryan Massicotte, an 18-year-old freshman from Naugatuck who was sporting a fuzzy Husky dog hat and sunglasses with the dog logo on each lens. 'You've got to show it off the right way.'

Supported: Connecticut point guard Shabazz Napier, left, with head coach Kevin Ollie, said he sometimes can't afford food as a student athlete. His comments have been backed by local politicians

Big change: Napier is hopeful efforts to form a student athlete union at Northwestern will lead to unions at other schools

The students sang the national anthem, chanted 'Let's go Huskies' before the tip, roared when the home team was introduced and booed the Kentucky players.

The stands shook every time Shabazz Napier made a 3-pointer. The pep band and school dance team entertained the crowd during timeouts.

They jumped up and down chanting 'I believe that we will win' as the Huskies struggled through a second-half rally by Kentucky.