College basketball

Men: UK center allowed to return this year

By wire services
Published December 16, 2005

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Kentucky center Randolph Morris' seasonlong suspension for his attempt to enter the NBA draft was reduced to 14 games Thursday by the NCAA.

The NCAA softened its punishment when the school provided information showing Morris clearly intended to retain his collegiate eligibility while declaring, the NCAA wrote in a statement.

The information "provides additional understanding of Morris' original intent to enter the NBA draft as well as his mind-set during that process," the NCAA wrote.

Morris, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, also must repay expenses related to the tryouts, which amounted to more than $7,000 from nine NBA teams, the NCAA wrote.

"In exploring my NBA options, I made poor choices," Morris said. "Those choices included accepting bad advice while putting distance between me and my coaches and teammates at UK. I take full responsibility for those actions.

"It wasn't obvious to me as I was going through this process, but looking back, I now see how my actions were disrespectful to coach (Tubby) Smith and the University of Kentucky."

Kentucky provided the NCAA the original copy of a fax sent by Morris to Smith, notifying the coach of his plans to enter the draft. In the one-paragraph fax, released by the university, Morris told Smith that "my intent is not to obtain an agent so as to maintain my collegiate eligibility."

Smith said he had misplaced the fax and found it only last week.

ARK. 79, MISSOURI ST. 75: Ronnie Brewer topped 1,000 career points with a 3-pointer to give the Razorbacks a seven-point lead with 15:38 left, and he scored 19 overall for host Arkansas (7-2).

MISS. ST. 104, JACKSONVILLE ST. 80: Jackson, Miss., native Charles Rhodes turned the Bulldogs' trip there into his personal homecoming, recording career highs of 24 points and 18 rebounds for Mississippi State (7-2).

OLE MISS 69, NICHOLLS ST. 43: Todd Abernethy and Rondrick Nolen scored 11 each for the host Rebels (6-2), who held the Colonels' leading scorer, Stefan Blaszczynski, to two points.

RUTGERS 91, MAINE 56: Quincy Douby scored 17 of his 22 in the first half as the host Scarlet Knights (8-2) rolled.

CITADEL 73, WEBBER 56: J'mel Everhart had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Demetrius Nelson added 12 points and 13 rebounds for the host Bulldogs (6-3).

RICE 93, PALM BEACH ATLANTIC 54: Morris Almond scored 21 on 9-of-13 shooting and added eight rebounds for the host Owls (4-4).

WISCONSIN 74, WIS.-MILWAUKEE 68: Alando Tucker scored 25 as the host Badgers (9-1) outlasted their instate rival.

[Last modified December 16, 2005, 00:55:10]