The Big 12 on Monday reprimanded and fined Texas Tech $25,000 for allowing fans to storm the court Saturday after the Red Raiders' victory over West Virginia and reprimanded Mountaineers player Wesley Harris for striking a Texas Tech fan during the wild postgame scene, the conference said in separate announcements.
Conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby said Texas "was unsuccessful in ensuring the safety and security of the visiting team game participants":
“We have a duty to provide a safe game environment. 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.”
Grainy videos circulated on social media after the game showing a West Virginia player striking a fan during the court-storming after Texas Tech's 72-71 victory in Lubbock (focus your attention near the WVU bench and the white-hatted Texas Tech fan skipping by it).
Bowlsby, in a separate statement Monday reprimanded Harris — for the first time definitively identifying him as the WVU player in question — and said he violated the Big 12’s Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct rules by his actions:
“We must ensure that a safe environment is provided for players, coaches, game officials and fans. 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 implemented new policy in 2015 a Kansas State fan bumped Kansas player Jamari Traylor after a Jayhawks loss at K-State. The policy granted the conference commissioner broad power to punish schools in the wake of court-stormings while not explicitly prohibiting the practice.
