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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — The town long known as America's couch-burning capital is hoping it won't live up to its reputation when the Mountaineers battle Duke in the Final Four, but it's beefing up the police presence just in case.

Morgantown Police Chief Phil Scott has about 50 officers on hand for Saturday night's game in Indianapolis and is gathering reinforcements from the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department, the State Police and other agencies. They will be positioned, along with other city officials, downtown and in residential areas where street fires have historically been a problem.

"We're going to have zero tolerance for people who are setting fires and doing things to draw negative attention," Scott said.

West Virginia University is closed for spring break this week, and the dorms don't reopen until Sunday, so it's unclear how many of the nearly 29,000 students will give up Easter with their families to watch the game and party in off-campus housing.

While some WVU officials expect few to return early, others predict students will sleep in their cars if that's that it takes to be here. And it only takes a few to cause problems.

"All eyes are going to be on West Virginia and Morgantown," Scott said. "There are a large number of people out there supporting our team, and I would hate to see this get marred — especially if we make it to the national championship — by stupid acts of vandalism."

The number of street fires has dropped dramatically since 2005, when 125 were doused, said fire Capt. Ken Tennant. Last year, firefighters handled just 49. At the same time, however, the number of fires set in large metal trash bins has soared.

Between 2005 and 2007, firefighters responded to 40-45 trash bin fires a year, Tennant said. In 2008, there were 102, and last year there were 74.

Trash bins are targets of opportunity, usually hidden in alleyways and easier to ignite than furniture.

Students may believe they're doing less damage, Tennant said, but there is danger in the unknown contents: Firefighters have found propane canisters and other explosive materials in the bins, which are usually positioned close to buildings.

WVU has a long tradition of celebrating Mountaineer victories by setting fires, often with cheap furniture dragged from their rental homes. The city began tracking them in 1997, and has since recorded a total of 2,332, Tennant said.

The worst year was 2003, when 274 fires were reported, followed by 1998 with 245 fires.

"As the importance of the game increased, our numbers would increase. When it would be a very close game and we would squeak by, they would get excited," said Interim Fire Chief Bill Graham. "We prefer people get out there and jump up and down in the streets, not set fires."

Graham said the numbers began to fall after 2005 because the university cracked down.

About 60 fires were set that March following the basketball team's victory against Texas Tech and loss one week later to the University of Louisville in the NCAA tournament.

The university expelled 11 students and sanctioned five others in connection with those fires.

Parents spend tens of thousands of dollars on their children's education, Graham said, and the expulsions have deterred much of the bad behavior.

"That's a horrible phone call to make, to tell your mom and dad that their dreams for your future are gone ... that you have just thrown everything away," he said.

WVU's Office of Student Judicial Affairs has ongoing disciplinary proceedings for seven students who were charged with misconduct after the Mountaineers won the Big East title last month. One is a senior whose graduation is now in jeopardy.

"We need to celebrate responsibly and with intelligence," said school spokesman John Bolt. "The message is there are consequences, and they can be pretty long-lasting."

On Thursday, WVU sent students a letter urging them to behave appropriately.

"Win or lose, our players must act with class. As fans, we should honor them and act the same way — with class," said the letter, signed by Ken Gray, vice president of student affairs, and Chris Lewallen, president of the Student Government Association.

"It only takes a few disorderly fans to overshadow the attention our team and Coach Bob Huggins so richly deserve," the letter said.

Although WVU has not organized any events for Saturday, it is planning a watch party beginning 6 p.m. Monday in the Mountainlair if the Mountaineers make it to the championship game.