By Kayla Phelps

Euclid Avenue turned into a sea of blue as fans celebrated the Cats’ win over Baylor.

With 41 seconds left in the game, fans at T-Bar chanted “Final Four” as the team secured the win.

Just minutes after, the celebration moved into the streets.

Police blocked the intersection of Euclid and Woodland avenues as UK fans ran from surrounding areas to join the celebration.

“We knew we had to be here for this,” said Devin Baier, a nursing sophomore.

Baier watched the game at her house, but made her way to the intersection as soon as the game was over.

Music blasted from T-Bar as fans sat on each other’s shoulders, crushed beer bottles and united over another UK victory.

“The win is epic,” said Jeremy Shelby, a kinesiology sophomore. “I’m so proud to be from Lexington, Ky., right now.”

The in-state rivalry set to take place Saturday has many fans on their toes, and cheers against the University of Louisville were almost as common as cheers for UK.

“We have two powerhouses for the Big Dance,” said Derrick Malone, a UK alumnus. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Malone watched the game at Lynagh’s Irish Pub and described the crowd as “intense.”

But he was at the Woodland/ Euclid intersection for the games in 1996 and 1998, and said the fans were calmer this year.

“The crowd is pretty good, but they need to be riled up every now and again,” he said.

Michial Dunn, an employee at T-Bar, said game nights usually hit capacity and guests have to be let in one at a time.

He said Sunday’s game was at capacity just five minutes in.

However, Dunn said the crowd remained tame throughout the game.

“There is a lot of school spirit and fan love for the team,” he said. “Everybody has been real calm and real good.”

While no couch burning took place, fan intensity surrounded the block.

“This is the kind of crowd we like to see,” said Sgt. Franklin Patrick of the Lexington Metro Police Department. “We are all Cats fans so we come to celebrate with them, which makes a much better work relationship with them.”

One fan in particular celebrated in an unlikely way.

“I had to take my big Fathead with me,” said William Bolden, a computer science student, as he raised a large cut-out of his head into the air.

Bolden said his friends gave it to him after a game during the season, and he held it high as he danced down Euclid.

“The crowd is electrifying,” he said. “I have never felt anything like it in my entire life.”

Police re-opened the intersection around 5:20 p.m., and fans slowly scattered.

But as students and fans walked away, the chants continued.

“It’s a great day for Kentucky as a state,” said Casey Orman, a media arts and sciences junior. “It’s going to be a civil war down here next Saturday.”