Louisville appealing sanctions

Louisville officials are meeting with the NCAA’s Infractions Appeals Committee to appeal sanctions from a sex scandal that could include vacation of the 2013 men’s basketball championship.

University spokesman John Karman confirmed Wednesday’s hearing in Atlanta with the Appeals Committee, with a decision expected by February. The NCAA in June placed the school on four years’ probation and ordered vacation of up to 123 victories, including the 2013 title. Those penalties followed an investigation into an escort’s allegations that former Cardinals basketball staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers for sex parties with players and recruits.

Louisville said the penalties are “grossly excessive” in its October response to the infractions appeal committee. The university also said the infractions committee didn’t follow precedent and had never imposed penalties where studentathletes weren’t culpable for misconduct.

Terrence

Phillips,

junior guard at Missouri, has started a nonprofit organization called “Beyond The Ball” with one of his friends, Ashley Reed, whom he met about a year ago. Per NCAA rules, Mizzou athletics can not help Beyond The Ball’s holiday toy drive — no collection boxes at Mizzou Arena’s entrances, no video advertisements during timeouts. Phillips had to receive an NCAA waiver to use his likeness on any promotions.

The point guard from California feels tied enough to this community to work through months of NCAA red tape.

“The whole kind of basis behind it was to give back to Columbia, a place that I’ve called home for about three years now, a place that I’ve really embraced,” Phillips said.

Junior forward Moritz Wagner is day to day after leaving Michigan’s 59-52 win at Texas with 7:36 remaining in the second half.

Wagner, who leads the Wolverines (9-3) with 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, was helped off the court after spraining his ankle. News services