Mike Enright, a university spokesperson, said in a statement Tuesday morning thousands filled the streets surrounding Connecticut's campus following the Huskies' 75-60 win over Purdue ... but overall, they were well-behaved.

Enright told us the fans cheered "respectfully, responsibly, and safely." He did add, though, there were a few issues ... namely a couple instances of vandalism.

"But they were limited in number," Enright said. "As of 1:15 AM, UConn Police made five arrests. On the whole, it was a very good night on the Storrs campus and the university looks forward to continuing to celebrate our phenomenal student-athletes, their coaches, and this incredible win."

Of course, it's a stark contrast to last year ... when UConn supporters went overboard celebrating their championship victory over San Diego State.

You'll recall, fires were set, windows were broken, light poles were torn down ... and a total of 15 people were thrown behind bars. An additional 16 needed to be transported to the hospital due to injuries, the school said.

In fact, the party got so wild, UConn made several changes in the leadup to this year's Final Four -- including removing light poles from its campus -- to keep the peace.