The Big 12 Conference has issued a public reprimand of West Virginia's Wesley Harris, who struck a Texas Tech fan during a wild court-storming Saturday after the Red Raiders' victory over the Mountaineers.
The league also announced a public reprimand of Texas Tech University and a $25,000 fine against the school Monday.
Grainy videos circulating on social media after the game showed a West Virginia player striking a fan during the court-storming that followed Texas Tech's 72-71 victory Saturday in Lubbock, Texas.
I guess Wesley Harris #21 and @sagaba50 #50 from @WVUhoops were a little bitter after tonight's loss to @TexasTechMBB Swinging at fans on the court 🙄 @Big12Conference @espn #wreckem #gunsup #ttu #wvu pic.twitter.com/cpTdNolmVX
— Steven Gutierrez (@stevenjee10) January 14, 2018
In a pair of statements on Monday, the league denounced the actions of Harris -- officially identified by the Big 12 -- and excoriated Texas Tech for failing to secure the floor after the game.
"We must ensure that a safe environment is provided for players, coaches, game officials and fans," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in the statement about Harris. "Although the post-game environment did not live up to our expectations, Mr. Harris intentionally striking a fan is contrary to the Conference's Sportsmanship standards."
The Big 12 announced a new policy in 2015 -- after a fan bumped Kansas player Jamari Traylor following a loss at rival Kansas State -- to create a safer environment for opposing players and staffers during court-stormings. Bowlsby said then the new policy would grant him broad power to punish schools that failed to protect players and coaches during court-stormings.
The most severe cases, he said, could lead to fines and even the loss of future home games.
"We have a duty to provide a safe game environment," Bowlsby said about Texas Tech in a separate statement. "The Texas Tech Department of Athletics has a written event management policy which was unsuccessful in ensuring the safety and security of the visiting team game participants. Although the Big 12 Conference does not currently have a policy prohibiting spectators from entering playing areas for post-game celebrations, it is of utmost importance that home game management provide adequate security measures for our student-athletes, coaches, game officials and spectators."
This is not the first time Texas Tech has been connected to a fan-player incident. In February 2014, then-Oklahoma State star Marcus Smart was suspended three games after he pushed a fan during a game at Texas Tech. Smart had initially claimed the fan, Jeff Orr, used a racial epithet but a subsequent investigation proved otherwise.
Orr admitted, however, he called Smart "a piece of crap" and agreed he would not attend any more Texas Tech games that season.