Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
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 and understand their concerns. 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 and continuing to follow the guidance of public health agencies and make decisions based on the most up-to-date information available.”
Aggies deny Auburn: Josh Nebo scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half and Texas A&M survived a frenetic last-minute rally attempt to upset No. 17 Auburn 78-75 on Wednesday night.
Wendell Mitchell added 14 points and a key 3-pointer to help the visiting Aggies (15-14, 9-8 SEC) pick up their fifth league road win.
Samir Doughty scored 25 points for the Tigers (25-5, 12-5), who wiped out most of a nine-point deficit over the final 46 seconds as Texas A&M struggled at the free-throw line.
J’Von McCormick buried a contested 3-pointer with 7.4 seconds left to make it 77-75. Savion Flagg made the second of two free throws before Danjel Purifoy’s potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
Texas A&M missed two free throws over the final 16 seconds, but otherwise did enough.
Auburn, a 121⁄2-point favorite, was trying to finish the season unbeaten at home for the first time since 1998-99.