“All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled played through the speakers at Castle Court as students from Syracuse University celebrated what many thought would never happen: both the women’s and men’s basketball teams won their Elite Eight games and are moving on to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament.

“All I do is win win, win no matter what,” hundreds of students sang in unison at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, as scores of students streamed into Castle Court. “And if you goin’ in put your hands in the air.”

People at Castle singing “All I do is win” pic.twitter.com/PwmkR2cO5a

— Rachel Sandler (@rachsandl) March 28, 2016

“‘Cuse is so f*cking lit! So f*cking lit!” students yelled. “Final Four! Final Four!” More students chanted. “Let’s go Orange, let’s go Orange.” By 8:45 p.m., the area between Walnut Avenue and Harrison Street was overflowing with students yelling, chanting and drinking alcohol. About 30 Syracuse Police Department officers lined up across the street from Castle Court to “monitor the situation,” an SPD officer said. The officers were still lined up and watching the party as of 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Looks like the entire Syracuse Police Department is on Walnut pic.twitter.com/YAu5Tdum1f

— Rachel Sandler (@rachsandl) March 28, 2016

“Yo, this is the most police I’ve ever seen,” a student yelled as he walked by.

Students started gathering at Castle Court at about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, before the SU women’s basketball team played No. 7 Tennessee and won. The area was empty during the men’s basketball game — which started at 6:09 p.m. — but soon after the men’s team beat the University of Virginia, students headed to Castle Court to celebrate.

Chase Guttman | Staff Photographer

At one point, fireworks were set off and beer was splashed all over the crowd.

“We’re the team of destiny,” said Jacob Von Engelhardt, a junior biochemistry and math dual major. “This is the best school on Earth!”

Engelhardt said the atmosphere was electric and that he was mostly in shock that SU won, but added that he’s hopeful for SU’s chances in the Final Four.

“Who gon’ stop us?” he said. “Who gon’ stop us?”

Jake Brown, a sophomore management major, said he watched the game in his dorm room with some of his fraternity brothers. He said they went wild when SU mounted a comeback to defeat UVA. When SU won, he said the feeling was indescribable.

“We had the heart to win — and that’s what this campus is all about,” Brown said.

Chase Guttman | Staff Photographer

For Noah Rhynhart, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, this year is significant because he is ending his time at SU the same way it began — with the SU men’s basketball team going to the Final Four.

“I’m a senior now, so it’s cool because this happened to me my freshman year,” Rhynhart said. “But this time it wasn’t expected, I mean, we were the No. 10 seed.”

He added that although the SU men’s team also went to the Final Four his freshman year, this year is “a little crazier.”

Published on March 28, 2016 at 12:49 am

Contact Rachel: rsandler@syr.edu