Emmert: Changes needed
NCAA president hopes scandal will lead to reform, but paying players is not an option
NEW YORK — NCAA President Mark Emmert is hopeful the scandal roiling college basketball will lead to major rule changes, but schools paying players is likely a nonstarter.
In a 45-minute phone interview Friday with The Associated Press, Emmert said he expects a commission to reform college basketball to put forth proposals to modernize NCAA rules on player-agent relationships, devise new ways to handle high-profile enforcement cases and address the NBA’s one-anddone rule. The commission, led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, is on track to give its recommendations to NCAA leadership when the Division I Board of Directors meets April 24-25.
Emmert says he does not think the NCAA is in crisis and that the “vast majority of what’s going on inside” the associations is working “incredibly well.”
“Yes, we’ve got these very serious issues which require serious change and they erode people’s belief in the integrity of all college sports,” Emmert said. “That’s a very serious problem and that’s got to be addressed and we’re doing that right now and I’m really optimistic that before basketball season next year we’re going to have really meaningful change that makes this circumstance, if not completely go away, dramatically better than the problems that exist today.
“That’s not the same as saying that collegiate sports is in crisis.”
A federal investigation has alleged hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks being funneled to influence recruits, an FBI probe that many fans believe reveals just a tiny slice of potential corruption in college sports.
Men’s bubble watch
ON THE RISE
Louisiana: The Ragin’ Cajuns (26-4, 16-1 Sun Belt, 35 RPI) have lost just once since Christmas. Still, after losing its only game against a Quadrant 1 opponent, they probably need to win their league tournament to feel safe. Loyola-Chicago: The Ramblers (26-5, 31 RPI) have won 15 of 16. St. Bonaventure: The Bonnies (23-6, 13-4 Atlantic 10, 22 RPI) are rolling with 11 straight wins, including Tuesday’s 117-113 triple-overtime win against Davidson — the last team to beat St. Bonaventure on Jan. 19.
TCU: The Horned Frogs (21-9, 9-8 Big 12, 19 RPI) are putting together a strong finish (four straight wins) as they approach their first NCAA bid since 1998. FADING HOPES
Alabama: The Crimson Tide (18-13, 8-9 Southeastern Conference) picked a bad time for a four-game losing streak — three coming by double-figure margins — to go with their No. 58 RPI.
Louisville: The Cardinals (19-11, 9-8 ACC) were less than a second away from upsetting No. 1 Virginia on Thursday night. Their résumé remains uncertain.
Syracuse: The Orange (18-12, 7-10 ACC) have lost three straight games. Two came against No. 5 Duke on the road and No. 9 North Carolina at home, but Syracuse (49 RPI, 52 KenPom) did nothing to help itself with a double-digit loss at Boston College on Wednesday.
In Friday games:
Men
WEST TEXAS A&M 86, ENMU 70: In Denton, Texas, Zach Parker scored 21 points but it wasn’t enough fro ENMU (11-17) to upset top-seeded West Texas A&M in the first round of the eight-team Lone Star Conference tournament.
No. 2 MICHIGAN STATE 63, WISCONSIN 60: In New York, Cassius Winston hit a go-ahead jumper with 7:17 to play and Michigan State won its 13th straight game, beating Wisconsin in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament.
Miles Bridges led the Spartans (29-3) with 20 points and Winston finished with 17 in advancing to the semifinals today against No. 15 Michigan.
PENN STATE 69, No. 13 OHIO STATE 68: In New York, Tony Carr found Josh Reaves for a game-winning layup with 3.1 seconds to play and Penn State may have punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament with a victory over second-seeded Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament.
Penn State (21-12) will face third-seeded and No. 8 Purdue in the semifinals on today at Madison Square Garden.
Women
TARLETON STATE 83, ENMU 61: In Frisco, Texas, Shelby Jones’ 15 points and 11 rebounds weren’t nearly enough for fourth-seeded Eastern New Mexico (16-12), which was bounced by the TexAnns in the first round of the eight-team Lone Star Conference tournament. Las Cruces senior Daeshi McCants fouled out with six points and three rebounds in only 20 minutes of play.
No. 2 MISSISSIPPI STATE 81, KENTUCKY 58: In Nashville, Tenn., Roshunda Johnson scored 20 points, and Mississippi State remained undefeated with the win in the Southeastern Conference quarterfinals. The Bulldogs (31-0) play No. 15 Texas A&M for a third consecutive spot in the final. Taylor Murray led Kentucky (15-17) with 15 points.
No. 4 LOUISVILLE 73, VIRGINIA TECH 70: In Greensboro, N.C., Myisha Hines-Allen had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Louisville hold off Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference quarterfinals.