The Morning Dish – Friday, February 27th
Baylor faces stiff penalties: Baylor University admitted to more major violations in its disgruntled men’s basketball program Thursday and called for additional self-imposed penalties. University president Robert Sloan discussed the results of a review committee that investigated the conduct of former basketball coach Dave Bliss, who resigned in August. The investigation began after Carlton Dotson was charged with the murder of former Baylor teammate Patrick Dennehy, whose badly decomposed body was found not far from campus on June 27. The committee found that Bliss paid the tuition of two former players, including Dennehy, and that his program did not report failed drug tests of players. “The university has determined that the former coach engaged in unethical conduct by making the payments and engaging in an effort to conceal his activity and providing false information to the university’s investigators,” Sloan said. Other violations included the soliciting of charitable contributions to an amateur basketball league that featured potential recruits. The university also found that Bliss arranged for meals, transportation and clothing for several recruits. “The university is embarrassed that its various administrative systems allowed these violations to go uncovered,” Sloan said. “There were red flags that should have been noticed.” As a self-imposed punishment, Baylor will reduce the number of scholarships from 13 to nine in 2004-05 and from 13 to 12 the following academic year. The school also will limit the coaching staff’s contact with recruits and formulate new recruiting guidelines. Baylor also has instituted new drug testing protocol and will ask the Big 12 Conference to conduct independent compliance audits. Sloan announced in August that he was placing the team on two years probation and keeping it out of postseason play this season. Bliss was replaced by Scott Drew, who has guided the Bears to an 8-18 record this season.
Stoudamire suspended: Arizona guard Salim Stoudamire, the team’s leading scorer, has been suspended indefinitely, coach Lute Olson announced Thursday. Stoudamire is averaging 16.8 points while shooting nearly 47 percent from the floor. The 6-1 junior has connected on 44 percent of his 3-pointers. Arizona has been inconsistent all season and Olson was frustrated with Saturday’s 90-84 loss at Oregon State in which Stoudamire scored 14 points and had three assists. Olson alluded to some of the problems in Monday’s news conference. “I thought we had some very selfish play and that is something that we haven’t seen very often,” he said. “It’s all about the team. If the team does well, everyone gets the recognition.” Sophomore Chris Rodgers is expected to take Stoudamire’s place in the starting lineup.
Oregon State loses center for season: Oregon State center Derek Potter will miss the rest of the season because of a stress fracture in his left foot, coach Jay John said Thursday. The 6-11 junior from Vancouver, B.C., hurt the foot prior to Oregon State’s Feb. 7 game at Oregon. Potter played in 16 games this season with five starts, including three straight prior to his injury. He was averaging 1.3 points and 1.9 rebounds. Oregon State is in the midst of its final regular season road swing of the season, with games at Stanford and California. Freshman Kyle Jeffers (5.2 ppg) will likely start at center.
Stanford’s Davis has MRI: Stanford forward Justin Davis had an MRI on his injured left knee Thursday and is expected to miss two more weeks for the top-ranked Cardinals. “It’s healing. Two more weeks,” Davis, a senior averaging 11.5 points and 6.9 rebounds, said before Stanford’s game against Oregon State at Maples Pavilion on Thursday night. The 6-foot-9, 230-pound Davis should be ready in time for the Pac-10 tournament beginning March 11 in Los Angeles. He bruised a bone and partially tore the medial collateral ligament in his knee against the Beavers in Corvallis, Ore., on Jan. 29. Doctors said he would miss at least three weeks. Davis isn’t having any pain in the knee, though he hasn’t yet gone full speed in practice. Davis has been swimming and biking to rehab and is able to shoot. He said he’s unsure whether he’s ready to return — though he sure hopes so. Stanford plays Oregon on Saturday in its final home game, and Davis’ grandmother will attend the game. Ruth Brumfield is in her 80s and has never seen Davis play for Stanford. She lives in Vallejo, more than an hour northeast of the campus.
Cardinals move to 24-0: Josh Childress scored 12 points to help lead top ranked Stanford to their 24th straight victory, 73-47 over Oregon State on Thursday night. Childress, a junior All-America candidate, also had five assists, two rebounds, a steal and a blocked shot for the Cardinal, who remained one of two unbeaten teams in Division I. Point guard Chris Hernandez isn’t surprised the Cardinal are getting the breaks such as that shot by Childress — he says that’s what happens when you play good defense. “We had one of those and we also had a bank shot,” he said. “That’s all sparked from our defense. I think the general consensus was the last time we played this team we came out pretty flat. We wanted to make a statement.” Hernandez scored 11 of his 13 points in the first 11 minutes and went 3-for-4 from 3-point range as the Cardinal (24-0, 15-0 Pac-10) built a big lead early. Third-string swingman Fred Washington scored a career-high 11 points and Stanford shot 52.8 percent.
Duke wins 41st straight home game: Daniel Ewing scored 20 points while Luol Deng added 18 to lift the Duke Blue Devils past Valparaiso 97-63 on Thursday night for their 41st consecutive home win. Shavlik Randolph had 16 points for the Blue Devils (23-3), who hit a season-high 15 3-pointers and jumped to a 26-point first-half lead. J.J. Redick added 15 points for Duke. Joaquim Gomes had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Crusaders (13-12). The Blue Devils have the nation’s longest active home winning streak. Pittsburgh has won 40 straight at home and hosts Syracuse on Sunday.
Tonight’s menu
• The customary Patriot and Ivy League games will happen tonight. In addition, Tulsa will visit Hawaii in a WAC match-up.
