Arkansas Puts Spin on NCAA Allegations

The NCAA has notified Arkansas of seven alleged violations in the men’s basketball program, including an accusation that it has operated without appropriate institutional control.

Chancellor Dan Ferritor said the letter from the NCAA is half of the equation.

“The other half is our response,” he said, which he said would be submitted to the NCAA infractions committee within 90 days.

Ferritor said a majority of the violations are secondary.

The allegations involved such things as summer jobs, improper certification of some junior college athletes, giving prospective student-athletes tickets to various basketball tournaments, and help provided to some players by an academic counselor in violation of NCAA rules.

Asked about possible penalties, Athletic Director Frank Broyles said, “That is the $64 question.”

Said Ferritor: “We have examined our basketball program as closely as any program can be examined, and we found mistakes that were made--mistakes that never should have been made. For that we are deeply sorry. But we also found that the people involved understand what they did wrong; steps have been taken to deal with mistakes.”

Asked about the effect of the investigation, Coach Nolan Richardson said such a thing would always be a distraction. He said some players will care and others won’t.

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All-Big Ten guard Geno Carlisle, suspended earlier for violating a team rule, has left Northwestern for personal reasons.

Carlisle was suspended for two exhibition games and last week’s opener for violating the unspecified team rule. He had been expected to play for the first time Tuesday night.

Earlier this month, in an incident unrelated to his suspension, Carlisle was accused by a female acquaintance of shoving her into a wall. He faces a misdemeanor battery charge.

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Seton Hall starting guard Jalil Roberts has been suspended indefinitely by Coach George Blaney for violating a team rule, the school said.

It is the second suspension this month for the 6-foot-4, 185-pound Roberts, who transferred from Wisconsin before last season. Roberts sat out Seton Hall’s exhibition game against the Puerto Rico Junior National team on Nov. 15.

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Weber State, its program cited for assorted rules violation, was placed on four years’ probation by the NCAA.

The university received a public reprimand from the governing body but will remain eligible for postseason play and television appearances.

The NCAA stripped the Big Sky Conference school of two scholarships next year, and Coach Ron Abegglen has been barred from recruiting off campus until next August.