Memphis case gets new probe
Memphis’ NCAA case involving the recruitment of star player James Wiseman will go through the association’s new independent investigation arm.
The NCAA announced Wednesday that the school’s request to have the infraction case resolved through the Independent Accountability Resolution Process had been granted.
Memphis issued a statement saying the university had been made aware that the case had been referred to the new independent investigation arm.
“The University is committed to compliance with NCAA regulations and will continue to fully cooperate within this process, which includes withholding any further comment until the process is complete,” the statement said.
The NCAA suspended Wiseman 12 games early this season because the former five-star recruit’s family received $11,500 from former Memphis player and current Tigers coach Hardaway to assist in a move from Nashville to Memphis in the summer of 2017.
Although Hardaway wasn’t Memphis’ coach at the time, the NCAA ruled that the payment wasn’t allowed because he was a booster for the program. The former NBA All-Star gave $1 million in 2008 to his alma mater for the university’s sports hall of fame.
After the NCAA ruled that Wiseman needed to sit out 12 games and donate $11,500 to charity to regain his college eligibility, he left Memphis in December.
The IARP was created last year to handle some high-profile cases involving potentially serious infractions and is made up of investigators, advocates and decision-makers with no direct ties to NCAA member schools.
UMKC cancels trip to Seattle: Missouri-Kansas City joined Chicago State in canceling a trip to Seattle for a regularly scheduled Western Athletic Conference game this week over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, the conference announced.
UMKC was scheduled to play Seattle University on Saturday, but the conference said the school has cancelled that trip. Chicago State announced Tuesday night it was cancelling its men’s basketball road trip to Seattle and Utah Valley, and said its women’s team wouldn’t host two games against those same schools.
The cancellations are believed to be the first by a major sport in the U.S. due to the virus.
The cancelled games will be recorded as a “no-contest” per NCAA guidelines. The conference said it is proceeding as scheduled with all other conference events, including next week’s WAC basketball tournaments in Las Vegas.
In a statement, Seattle said there has been no recommendation to “suspend campus operations, including athletic contests, or restrict travel in the United States at this time.”
“We respect Chicago State and Kansas City’s decisions. We share a commitment to ensuring the health and safety of our communities, fans and all who attend university-sponsored events,” the school said. “Seattle University is ... monitoring and responding to this rapidly evolving situation.”
Jayhawks clinch share of Big 12 title: Udoka Azubuike scored a career-high 31 points with 14 rebounds, leading topranked Kansas to a 75-66 victory over visiting TCU on Wednesday night to clinch at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season title.
Azubuike was 13 of 14 from the field and also had five blocks just four days after hurting his ankle in a win over Kansas State. Devon Dotson added 18 points in the win.
The Jayhawks (27-3, 16-1 Big 12) can win the title outright with a win at Texas Tech on Saturday or with a Baylor loss at West Virginia.
Badgers tie for 1st in Big Ten: Nate Reuvers scored 11 points as No. 24 Wisconsin struggled through a poor offensive performance in a 63-48 win over Northwestern.
With their seventh straight vicorty, the host Badgers (20-10, 13-6 Big Ten) moved into a three-way for first place in the Big Ten with one game remaining.
Wisconsin can clinch at least a share of the league title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a win Saturday at Indiana.