James White and Jihad Muhammd ineligible to continue postseason play

Pursuant to NCAA regulations, two members of the University of Cincinnati me's basketball team have been declared ineligible for continued participation in postseason competition, effective immediately. The NCAA rule will prohibit senior starters Jihad Muhammad and James White from participating in tonigh's NIT quarterfinal game against South Carolina and from any further action this season.

The NCAA made its interpretation clear and confirmed the application of the rule in writing following clarification discussions with UC.
Due to federal privacy law, the university is prohibited from releasing further details without consent from the players.

"We have suspended the players indefinitely for failure to meet the standards set forth by the NCAA and the men’s basketball program at the University of Cincinnati," stated interim head coach Andy Kennedy. "Our team will continue in its attempt to represent this university in the manner with which it deserves to be represented."

"The timing of this action, with our team battling for a trip to the NIT Final Four, is incredibly unfortunate," added UC director of athletics Mike Thomas. "I am very disappointed in how this affects the student-athletes, our coaching staff, the university and our fans."
Muhammad, a 5-11 guard from Plainfield, N.J., is the team’s fourth-leading scorer, averaging 10.8 points, and top 3-point shooting threat. He averaged 13.0 points and 7.0 assists in UC¹s two NIT victories.
White, a 6-7 swing player from Washington, D.C., is the Bearcats' leading scorer, averaging 16.3 points. He has averaged 20.3 points over his last three games and has scored nearly 1,100 points during his three seasons as a Bearcat.

"As with all issues concerning student-athletes we are in constant communication with the NCAA regarding eligibility issues," stated UC Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Nancy Hamant. "After reviewing this ruling we feel that the NCAA's interpretation is correct. I am confident that all parties at UC have exercised their proper due diligence with regard to the eligibility of the effected parties and that this matter is now closed."

Man, that's tough. An already paper-thin team will get stretched.

I thought they had a shot at going far in the NIT. No more.

Taking people from the stands to play :help:

Nancy Z is smiling right now....now she can use this to "justify" getting rid of Andy.

News reports are speculating that the suspensions are grades-related, and I can understand that speculation. This is spring break for UC students, and the Thursday of spring break week was the magical official day for winter quarter grades being finalized and released.

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Originally Posted by Matt700wlw

Nancy Z is smiling right now....now she can use this to "justify" getting rid of Andy.

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Kennedy was a goner from the day Huggins was fired. It's plain the Zimpher wants a total break with the Huggins-era and intends on bringing in someone from the outside with absolutely no ties to his program. If I were a UC alum, I'd never donate a dime to the school again. My alma mater is horrific in every sport other than baseball -- but at least we never willingly ran a great coach out of town. They just left when they got too big for the university.

Sucks about Jihad and White, though -- I think that whole team had a lot to prove. I feel bad for Hicks too, who deserves a better finish to his career than ANOTHER 2 starters being lost.

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Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

Kennedy was a goner from the day Huggins was fired. It's plain the Zimpher wants a total break with the Huggins-era and intends on bringing in someone from the outside with absolutely no ties to his program. If I were a UC alum, I'd never donate a dime to the school again. My alma mater is horrific in every sport other than baseball -- but at least we never willingly ran a great coach out of town. They just left when they got too big for the university.

Sucks about Jihad and White, though -- I think that whole team had a lot to prove. I feel bad for Hicks too, who deserves a better finish to his career than ANOTHER 2 starters being lost.

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Mick Cronin is the leading contender for the UC job right now.

UC lost 65-62.

:bang:

A great run. A great year, especially considering what this team had to go through this season, and how poorly they were treated by their own administration.

I'm proud of these guys, they made this season very enjoyable.

Andy unfortunately isn't going to get the job, in which he deserves, but he'll land somewhere and he'll do a great job, and I will be fan.

For the first time in 12 years, I listened to the game on WLW... because in 12 years, to my knowledge this is the only game that has not been on a TV station that I don't get. I forgot they even carried the games on the radio and didn't remember until the second half.

Wow! What heart this team has. Andy was even cheerleading the crowd. I was so hoping they would have won. This team has been through so much adversity this year and yet risen to each challenge, until tonight... and they almost did it again.

My hat's off to you guys!!

I'm hearing more on this tonight from some sources who are very close to the situation.

It appears that at least one if not both of the two players who were declared ineligible became that because they neglected to attend at least one class almost the entire time this previous quarter. He (they) supposedly attended the class just a couple of times and didn't receive a passing grade as a result.

I'm also hearing that the school might have dropped Kennedy from consideration as the coach because he had neglected to ensure that this player(s) went to this particular class this semester and supposedly didn't check-in on the situation as much as he "should" have.

That is what I'm hearing. I'm sure we'll hear more on the situation soon.

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Originally Posted by CincyRedsFan30

I'm also hearing that the school might have dropped Kennedy from consideration as the coach because he had neglected to ensure that this player(s) went to this particular class this semester and supposedly didn't check-in on the situation as much as he "should" have.

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This may very well be true. I'm more inclined to think it's just an administrative excuse. They know UC fans want Andy and they have never had any intention of hiring him because he is part of the Huggins regime. Thus, the perfect solution!

I do know that the UC basketball players have tutors (I happen to know someone who used to be one). I think this may be bunk.

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Originally Posted by CincyRedsFan30

It appears that at least one if not both of the two players who were declared ineligible became that because they neglected to attend at least one class almost the entire time this previous quarter. He (they) supposedly attended the class just a couple of times and didn't receive a passing grade as a result.

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Urban Lobbying anyone?

I too listened to the game on WLW last night. I agree with TB about Coach Kennedy and the enthusiam thing. I became a Coach Kennedy fan this year even though I am not a UC fan.

The radio announcer, Chuck Mashock (sp?), really laid into the two suspended players after the game. Talked about how selfish they were. I was shocked that he didn't avoid the topic after the game, but give him credit for telling it like it is.