MWC defers to UNM, CSU
Lobos aide Rencher apologizes, receives reprimand, denies being instigator
It’s up to the schools. The Mountain West Conference on Monday essentially said it will leave any potential disciplinary decisions in the aftermath of in-game and postgame incidents from Saturday’s New Mexico at Colorado State basketball game to be handled by the schools.
UNM has decided UNM assistant Terrence Rencher will not be suspended. Rencher apologize for his role in the incident that was captured on video, but maintained his innocence about instigating the near fight.
After a heated 84-71 Lobos win in Fort Collins, Colo., video captured Rencher and CSU player Emmanuel Omogbo in a verbal confrontation in the parking lot next to the Lobos team bus. In the exchange, Omogbo had to be held back from approaching Rencher by his head coach, Larry Eustachy. Rencher never moved from the same position he was standing in from the first time Omogbo exited the arena through a door only a few feet from where Rencher was standing. But Rencher could be heard egging on the emotional Omogbo.
UNM issued a statement saying that while Rencher will receive a letter of reprimand, both the school and coach maintain he did not instigate the fight
“I DO WANT TO REITERATE THAT I DID NOT INSTIGATE THE CONFRONTATION AND THAT I NEVER ONCE MADE LIGHT OF HIS PERSONAL TRAGEDY OR MADE RACIALLY DEROGATORY REMARKS TO HIM.” UNM ASSISTANT TERRENCE RENCHER
or make light of Omogbo’s personal tragedy.
“I would like to apologize to my family, UNM, CSU and everyone affected by the incident and I acknowledge my fault in the situation,” Rencher, a secondyear Lobos assistant, said in his statement. “I should have walked away. The situation could have been diffused and I am very regretful of that momentary lapse in judgement. I don’t know Emmanuel personally but he seems to be a good person and good teammate. …
“I do want to reiterate that I did not instigate the confrontation and that I never once made light of his personal tragedy or made racially derogatory remarks to him. To be painted in that light is truly disappointing to me. Those types of accusations are very hard to recover from and are totally and unequivocally false. I am hopeful that we can all learn from this and move forward.”
Eustachy made those allegations to ESPN on Saturday afternoon on a story originally headlined: “Eustachy: New Mexico assistant coach Terrence Rencher tried to pick fight with Emmanuel Omogbo.” The original story on ESPN also had Eustachy claiming Rencher laughed when told Omogbo’s parents died a year ago in a fire, something not corroborated by video of the incident recorded by the Journal in which Rencher says he understood what the player had been through. ESPN has since changed the headline.
There was no comment Monday from CSU about potential discipline for its participants in the incident.
It was a carry over from pregame trash talk and a heated game that featured Rencher being ejected for leaving the bench to hold Lobo players back in what was a near brawl with 2:10 remaining.
The MWC’s statement released Monday afternoon read:
“A number of conflicting perspectives have emerged and, in some cases, there is no definitive proof as to the responsible party or parties. Unfortunately, as a byproduct of our current electronic media society and immediate news cycle, there have also been inaccurate information and unsubstantiated reports circulated regarding what may or may not have occurred.”
UNM athletic director Paul Krebs said in a statement: “While we are disappointed in the role that coach Rencher played in the situation after the game, the reports of him initiating the confrontation and making light of the tragic situation of Emmanuel Omogbo are simply not true, and this is backed up by video evidence and eye-witness accounts. I have discussed the situation with Coach Rencher, and how he can handle something like this better in the future.”