March 24, 2000 7:56 AM AP

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) Police fired tear gas early today into a crowd of students who set fires and damaged cars after Purdue University's victory Thursday night in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Four students were arrested during the melee, which culminated with two bonfires being set two blocks south of Purdue's Ross-Ade Stadium.

Purdue beat Gonzaga 75-66 Thursday night to earn a matchup with Big Ten rival Wisconsin in Saturday's West Regional final. After the game, a crowd of about 2,500 celebrating students walked across campus, causing minor property damage, police said.

Students turned over trash cans, damaged cars, pulled down a street sign and blocked traffic. One group of students entered the football stadium and hung from the goalposts.

"We didn't expect this to happen. We thought maybe something might happen after Saturday's game," Purdue vice president of university relations Joseph Bennett said.

About midnight, a group of 500 to 700 students built a bonfire out of limbs torn down from nearby trees, then began adding other objects to the fire, campus police chief Linda Stump said.

About 30 to 40 police officers in riot gear were on hand. When officers decided the crowd was getting out of control, they fired at least five rounds of tear gas and the students dispersed, Stump said.

"The crowd was obviously getting unruly. The police acted with restraint, but went (in) at the right time," Bennett said. "What you are looking for is whether the situation is getting worse or better, and in this case, it was getting worse."

A second fire was set nearby a short time later by a small group of students who dragged a sofa into the street and set it ablaze with tree limbs. The students left before police arrived.

By 1:15 a.m., most of the students had gone home.

Three students were arrested on disorderly conduct or resisting arrest charges, and a fourth for public intoxication. One student sustained minor injuries when he was attacked by a dog, police said.

The fracas was smaller than one that erupted after Purdue won the 1999 NCAA women's championship.

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