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USATSI

The Big 12 Conference on Thursday issued a public reprimand of Texas Tech coach Chris Beard for his actions Tuesday that led to him earning a double technical foul and being ejected from the team's game against West Virginia. The rebuke was made in place of a fine or other punishment as conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby effectively used the incident to publicly chastise him while warning against committing similar acts in the future.

"Coach Beard's conduct was inconsistent with sportsmanship expectations in the Big 12 Conference," said Bowlsby. "He is being issued a public reprimand, and put on notice that any future sportsmanship violations may lead to a more severe penalty."

The Lubbock Avalance-Journal reported that Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt, a prominent administrator whose credentials have landed him a gig as a rep for the league in the College Football Playoff Committee, sent a letter to the Big 12 defending Beard's actions, which included berating the officials and sitting on the floor in protest of a call he felt his team did not get but deserved. Beard after the game defended his actions by saying he was standing up for his players.

"I just thought that from a coaching standpoint, you gotta fight for your players," he said. "From my point of view, the West Virginia player was calling for a timeout on the floor. I could see it and hear it where I was standing. It's still a two possession game at that point. If that call is made, then we've got a chance to set up our press and still have a chance to play the game. That call sent a 90% free throw shooter to the line and it's gonna separate the game to a three possession game."

Beard claimed after the game that it was his first technical as coach at Texas Tech since he arrived in 2016, which may have gotten him some leeway not just with the Big 12 but also with the officiating crew, who allowed him to go about his on-court tantrum for an extended period. By the enormity of his outrage it was clear right away he got his money's worth for the boot, but that's especially true now knowing he won't pay any price for it other than a slap on the wrist in the form of a public rebuke.