K-State fan pens 'letter to editor'

Nathan Power, the fan who threw an elbow at Kansas forward Jamari Traylor as he was walking off the court after Kansas State's70-63 victory Monday night, apologized Tuesday in a "letter to the editor" posted online by the KSU school newspaper, The Collegian.

The Kansas State police department had said earlier in the day -- when Power had yet to be identified -- that it was looking for help in its pursuit of him. They later released an update via Twitter and said their search had ended.

"I want to take this moment to share a sincere apology in breaking from the Wildcat way and stepping outside what is acceptable in the spirit of the game," Power wrote. "Following the basketball game, I simply let my emotions get the best of me in all of the chaos."

It wasn't clear if Power would face discipline by the school or charges by the police.

During the postgame chain of events, in which a swarm of students and fans stormed the court after the win over their main rival and eighth-rankedJayhawks, Power can be seen running across the floor and slamming into Traylor with a hard shoulder to the junior's shoulder, thereby knocking him off-balance before the fan is quickly grabbed by someone else.

"In my excitement, I was not careful of the people I was around. I am sorry that I made the KU basketball team -- Jamari Traylor in particular -- feel disrespected," Power wrote. "By no means can I change what took place, but in the future, I will be aware of how emotions can impact good judgment."

The student newspaper's website crashed after the publishing of Power's statement.

Earlier in the day, Kansas Stateissued a formal apology to Kansas through Wildcats athletic director John Currie and said its security staff wasn't able to move into sufficient position quickly enough "and was overwhelmed by the fans rushing the floor."

The Big 12 said it will review the incident.