Georgia Tech sanctions lifted

The NCAA has overturned scholarship and recruiting limitations placed on the Georgia Tech men’s basketball program in 2019.

The decision from the NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee announced Friday overturned the reduction of one scholarship per year for four years. It also restores Georgia Tech’s freedom to schedule official recruiting trips in conjunction with home games.

The NCAA’s Committee on Infractions will reconsider the scholarship sanctions. The recruiting sanctions were vacated.

The penalties were the result of the NCAA finding major recruiting violations were committed by former Georgia Tech assistant coach Darryl LaBarrie as well as coach Josh Pastner’s former friend, Ron Bell. Pastner was not directly named in the findings.

In other news:

• The University of Houston will close the regular season at home against Memphis on March 7, the American Athletic Conference

Rather than make a trip to Memphis, the game will be held at Fertitta Center. Tipoff remains 11 a.m. on CBS. The location was adjusted after COVID-19 issues with Memphis forced the first meeting between the two schools on Feb. 14 was postponed.

In that situation, the AAC’s athletic directors agreed that, if the game is not rescheduled, the remaining game will default to the home site of the team that did not have COVID-related issues that led to the previously postponed game — in this case, UH.