On Tuesday, the governing body of college athletics announced that head coach Larry Brown fostered an environment that lacked institutional control, and ruled that along with the postseason ban Brown would be suspended for the team’s first nine games. Still, the NCAA said, Brown did not report the misconduct upon learning of it in 2014 for more than a month, and the NCAA alleged Brown was not initially truthful when asked about potential violations.
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ESPN previously reported that Ulric Maligi, a former basketball assistant, provided impermissible coursework help to Keith Frazier, now in his junior season.
The SMU men’s basketball team has been banned from postseason play this upcoming season in the wake of an NCAA investigation that uncovered rules violations. Alas, the multiple instances of NCAA violations will also be a part of the Basketball Hall of Famer’s legacy.
SMU can appeal the NCAA’s penalties, but, if the school chooses to, is highly unlikely to have a hearing before December 8.
The penalties levied will ban SMU from the 2016 postseason. Speaking to reporters after the release of the 60-page report, Brown said he quickly corrected a statement he made after being “blindsided” by a question during an interview with the NCAA and added that “I didn’t lie to investigators”.
“I haven’t talked to Coach Brown yet because he’s been really busy, but I’ve been talking to Coach (K.T.) Turner. The majority of the contacts occurred a year or more before NCAA rules allow contact with prospects”, according to the report.
Brown is about to enter his fourth season with the Mustangs after racking up a 27-7 record and reaching as high as No. 18 in national rankings a year ago.
Larry Brown has gotten himself into hot water with the NCAA again.
“Now, this might sound so silly, when all these allegations are read, and when (enforcement staff) was basically taking the position I didn’t do the right thing, I can’t argue with that”, Brown said, according to the NCAA. “We are particularly concerned about sanctions that are punitive against student-athletes who were not involved in any infractions”.
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For both violations, the school has been placed on probation for three years and fined $5,000, plus one percent of the total budget for the basketball and golf teams. His 1980 championship game appearance with UCLA was vacated on account of players receiving improper benefits.
