STILLWATER – 24 hours after shoving a fan during a 65-61 loss to Texas Tech, Marcus Smart would be suspended three games by the Big 12 conference.
During a 31-minute news conference, a visually upset and emotional Cowboys head coach Travis Ford and athletic director Mike Holder made their first public comments since Smart’s shoving of Texas Tech super fan, Jeff Orr.
Smart would utter an apology to Orr, the university and his teammates for his actions.
Media reports stated that Orr used a racial slur against Smart during the last second of the game. Orr would deny the allegations on Texas Tech official athletics website, texastech.com stating that he called him “a piece of crap” and not the “n-word” as first reported later Saturday.
Orr has voluntarily decided to not attend any future home or road games for the rest of the year.
A 20-year-old guard for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Smart is averaging 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 rebounds, is a projected lottery pick. Smart would also be named to the 2014 Preseason AP All-American team, Smart was named 2013 Big 12 Freshman & Player of the Year.
Smart will miss games at 15th-ranked Texas, 21st-ranked Oklahoma and at Baylor, before returning Feb. 22 at home against the Red Raiders in Stillwater.