Men's basketball ticket sales were delayed this morning after a riot team of 16 police officers broke up an uncontrolled crowd of more than 2,000 people who were pushing and shoving from all directions to get to the McKale Center ticket booth.

Ticket office employees had been giving out vouchers informing people of when they could return to buy their tickets for over an hour before police finally intervened.

Originally the ticket office planned to start giving out line vouchers at 7 a.m., but after crowds broke police, security guards entered the ticket office to hand out vouchers, leaving no officers to control the crowd.

"People were screaming. Your pelvis was against the wall. If you took your feet off the ground, you were still standing. I wanted to call 911," said Kate Denevi, an undeclared sophomore.

At 5 a.m. security guards began setting up temporary barriers. By 5:20 a.m. the crowd had crossed the police tape, and the ensuing rush toppled the barriers. At 5:30 a.m. the ticket office opened up one third of the booths, and the crowd mashed inward to get a voucher.

Steam emanated from the crowd as people clamored for position.

Once people received their tickets, they had difficulty getting out of the crowd. Most resorted to crowd surfing their way out of the mob, and as each person left, people rushed to fill the hole.

Girls shrieked in pain, and others pleaded for everyone to get back.

"Someone's under there. Move back," one person yelled out.

Though paramedics reported no serious injury, several people walked away in with minor injuries.

"It was terrible. The police didn't intervene one bit. I think I broke a rib," said Shannon Doss, a sophomore communications major.

Standing by a police officer one could tell their frustration both with the situation and their manpower.

"Tell the ticket office, they didn't organize this very well. We are not going to go into a crowd of 2,000 people with four police officers," said patrol officer Andrew Kisela, responding to an angry fan who saw people getting crushed.

Before the riot squad marched from near the football stadium, Kisela warned those around them to get their friends out.

"If you have friends, tell them to get out. People are about to get hurt in five minutes," he said.

Fans who had already gotten their tickets also saw potential danger.

"(Police) aren't going to get devoted fans out of there without beating them," said Chris Wharam, a photography junior.

Initially fans hardly reacted to Kisela's announcement, even with police officers armed with "less-lethal" shotguns, paintball guns, and pepper spray began approaching the crowd.

But when the ticket office closed its windows, fans walked west away from the scene, disappointed they didn't get a ticket. Riot police never fired shots.

"It sucks. We were just at the window and then the cops are yelling on their megaphones for us to move west," said education sophomore Kelly Spear.

Trash littered the scene. Pillows, blankets, and food leftover from people waiting littered the area in front of McKale center.

One dejected fan sat on a bench and shook his head. He arrived at 2:30 a.m. and didn't plan on having to fight for a spot.

"I originally had a good spot, but this girl got sick and I carried her out," said mathematics senior Ryan Davis. "When everyone rushed the front she got crushed against the wall and she fainted so I had to carry her out with a friend." Davis lost his cell phone while battling for a spot.

The ticket office had planned to give out line vouchers for four days. The office sold tickets today to students who received a brown line voucher.

Check Tuesday's Wildcat for more information on men's basketball ticket sales.