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Police use pepper spray on NCAA celebrants

Louisville Cardinals Peyton Siva reacts after the game against the Syracuse Orange at the NCAA Big East Basketball Championship finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 16, 2013. Louisville defeated Syracuse 78-61 and win the 2013 Big East Championship. UPI/John Angelillo
Louisville Cardinals Peyton Siva reacts after the game against the Syracuse Orange at the NCAA Big East Basketball Championship finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 16, 2013. Louisville defeated Syracuse 78-61 and win the 2013 Big East Championship. UPI/John Angelillo | License Photo

LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 9 (UPI) -- Police used pepper spray and tear gas early Tuesday to break up crowds celebrating the University of Louisville's win over Michigan in the NCAA championship.

University spokesman John Drees said police used chemical deterrents to disperse the crowd after a fire department arson officer was attacked trying to break up an "incident," The (Louisville) Courier-Journal reported.

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The Louisville Cardinals beat the Michigan Wolverines 82-76 to claim the NCAA men's basketball championship Monday night in Atlanta.

"There's no better feeling," Abby Middleton, a University of Louisville senior who watched the game at a restaurant just off campus, told the newspaper. "It's my last year. I always believed in them."

The Courier-Journal said police officers also fired paint balls at crowd members who refused to leave so they could be identified later.

Louisville Metro Police Department representative Carey Klain said officers were "monitoring the situation in all areas" and that larger crowds were showing up in the university area.

Klain said officers made 12 arrests and 270 incident runs as of 2:20 a.m. Tuesday on reports of shots fired, domestic disputes, disorderly conduct, alcohol intoxication and fighting.

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