Would a defeat of Duke earlier this season have qualified in your opinion?

That's a tough one because of the immense history involved with both schools and the big tournament game just a few years ago. But in the end I'd vote no on rushing the court, unless it was won within the final seconds.

Josh, I don't think Indiana qualifies as an "elite" program these days; Indiana has not won a national championship since 1987 and didn't even make it to the postseason last season ... that doesn't sound like an "elite" program to this observer.

Josh,

I attended the IU v. Illinois game, and like you, I was befuddled when the fans rushed the court. Illinois is a good team no doubt, but the fact that the students rushed the court evidences low expectations. It should be no surprise that IU defeats a team in a game where IU led by as much as fifteen points! I agree that the Rules on When to Storm should be read by all fans, if not required as a condition of ticket ownership.

Jon

Hey Josh, cut us poor Iowans a little slack. We have no NBA, NFL, or major league baseball teams, college is the only game in town. Though we've had some good basketball coaches we've not been there often enough with any of them to ever have been considered and elite program. If we had beat one of the bottom four in the league I would understand, but this was a important game against a good team so we were happy the team had bounced back from Mich. St. and defended the home court.
Remember you're dealing here with fans who took down the goal post at the Metrodome and would have taken it home with them if they could have gotten it out the door. Duke can be reserved about winning. Maybe Indiana can be reserved about winning, but here in Iowa we just haven't had enough opportunities to have developed reserve.

I think we should cut the students a little slack here. All of those 18 and 19 year old freshmen who partied like rock stars in March of their freshman year want to relive a little of that this season. Now, they are 5th year seniors with legal IDs and an extensive knowledge of the bar scene. Match that with the easiest schedule possible (no classes before noon, and all in subjects that 50-year olds wouldn't recognize as a college course), and you've got a bunch of veterans leading the underclassmen toward a final four celebration after every game.
Post season success hasn't come their way since their freshman year, and the regular season is all they've had. Let’em party.
Remember, they have Mike Davis as their coach. This is a guy who burns his last timeout with six minutes to go while losing at Iowa, then immediately gets T'd up, negating whatever composure the team might had coming out of the timeout. And if that didn’t frustrate enough fans, he insists on making the ‘Mike Davis whiny face’ the last 5 minutes of the game.
He has the players to win, but will be outcoached more often as the conference season continues.