UNC paid $27K to clean up Duke locker-room paint mess

Published Feb. 13, 2015 6:23 p.m. ET

foxsports

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) Paint damage from North Carolina's victory celebration at Duke in November cost more than $27,000 in repairs.

About $22,000 went to replace the locker-room carpet, according to documents released after records requests from media outlets. Repairs also removed ''UNC'' written on walls and paint from the practice field.

The rivalry winner traditionally spray-paints its blue on the Victory Bell. The Tar Heels started near the field then rolled it to the locker room.

UNC apologized and said it would pay for repairs. Athletic director Bubba Cunningham and coach Larry Fedora wrote checks to split the $27,170.44 total.

Writing to Duke athletic director Kevin White, Cunningham said UNC took away players' meal money for a game, conducted a ''decision-making seminar'' and had them bag leaves in a neighborhood as community service.