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Lubbock, Texas, broke into what the local newspaper called "fandemonium" Saturday night after Texas Tech Red Raiders home town qualified for the NCAA men's basketball tournament final.
Texas Tech, seeded 3, surprised the Spartans of Michigan State, 61-51, in the lead pack, to try to play against Virginia for the title in men's basketball.
In the first part of March Madness on Saturday, Virginia eliminated Auburn, 63-62, in a match that, according to some, would have been tainted by controversial umpire decisions.
Both games were played in Minneapolis, where the Monday night final will be held.
In Lubbock, a huge crowd soon reunited on the Texas Tech campus to celebrate the Red Raiders' victory.
"I have never seen anything like it in Lubbock," said Tim Hays, a Texas Tech senior, at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "I have participated in other rallies like this, but nothing compares to electricity here."
But what began with cheers and high-five years quickly escalated into unrest and destruction, according to reports.
Witnesses reported seeing fires burning, with at least one car overturning, reported Lubbock's KCBD-TV.
According to other reports, four cars were returned.
Lubbock police – many of whom wore riot gear and brandishing batons – finally used tear gas to convince people to leave, the station reported.
The Lubbock Police Department asked the crowd for cooperation during a Facebook posting:
"Very good people, we are just as happy that Texas Tech wrote WRECKED Michigan State," says the message, "but we are asking people to leave the Broadway area near the university. We have several officers in the area cleaning up the scene.
"Big crowds raise security concerns. We also encourage drivers to avoid the area as some of the roads have been blocked. "
City officials issued a statement shortly after midnight:
"After the Texas Tech Men basketball team defeated Michigan State in the NCAA finals, hundreds of spectators gathered on Broadway near the University. The crowd adopted an extremely dangerous and disappointing behavior, including acts of vandalism. We are proud and enthusiastic for Texas Tech, but such behavior will not be tolerated. We want Red Raider fans to support the team and celebrate in a legal and responsible way. We are on the national scene so Lubbock is proud.
There was no immediate information available on arrests, injuries or an assessment of the costs of property damage.
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