Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000 | 10:20 a.m.
A quick look at the NCAA's actions against the Minnesota men's basketball program for violating academic rules:
When the NCAA assessed penalties against the University of Minnesota basketball program Tuesday, it cited many of the familiar buzzwords found in UNLV's pending infractions case.
Violations. Improper benefits. Self-sanctions. And a lot of official-sounding language that comes to the same damning conclusion: Rules were broken in the name of success on the court.
But that's pretty much where the similarities end, much to the relief of UNLV.
Though the university has admitted to NCAA violations by the men's basketball program and proposed a series of self-imposed sanctions to the Committee on Infractions, UNLV isn't accused of anything near the seriousness of the case against Minnesota.
Having uncovered rampant academic fraud committed under former coach Clem Haskins, the NCAA put Minnesota on four years' probation, took away five scholarships over three years and ordered the repayment of $350,000 in NCAA Tournament profits from the mid-90s.
The penalties stemmed from a two-year investigation that concluded that a former tutor did nearly 400 pieces of coursework for Minnesota players from 1994-98. The NCAA labeled it one of the most serious infractions cases of the last 20 years.
"It is difficult to draw any comparisons or analogies, because the two cases are so dramatically different," UNLV athletic director Charles Cavagnaro said. "Historically, academic fraud is treated more seriously (by the NCAA) than other violations."
Though the Rebels are no strangers to the enforcement process, they could come off looking like comparative choirboys next month when the infractions committee rules on their case.
The most serious allegations against UNLV stem from cash and other improper benefits given to 1997 recruit Lamar Odom by Rebels booster Dr. David Chapman. UNLV has admitted to violations and offered to impose various scholarship and recruiting restrictions for coach Bill Bayno's program.
Technically, the probation-like sanctions haven't been accepted by the NCAA, which could hand down additional penalties or limit its sanctions to what UNLV has offered.
In the Minnesota case, the NCAA didn't go far beyond the sanctions offered by the school. The NCAA removed an extra scholarship (Minnesota had offered to give up four) and imposed stiffer recruiting restrictions than the Gophers had proposed.
The NCAA's general acceptance of Minnesota's self-sanctions could be viewed as a good sign for the Rebels.
After all, both universities used the same law firm to defend them, led by Michael Glazier of Kansas City. The former NCAA attorney has a good track record for proposing sanctions that satisfy the NCAA, which is usually more lenient when a university penalizes itself.
If that is the case, the Rebels' penalties might be limited to what they proposed Sept. 22 before the Committee on Infractions in Dallas:
* The loss of one scholarship and two official visits by recruits in 2001-02 and 2002-03.
* In the summers of 2001 and 2002, Bayno will trim his off-campus recruiting from the maximum 70 days to 35, and spend the other 35 days on campus.
* In the summers of 2001 and 2002, no signed recruit will be allowed to move to Las Vegas before he arrives to enroll as a full-time student.
* Beginning in 2001-02, all incoming players -- freshmen and junior college transfers -- will be required to live in university housing for their first year.
"Until we receive the final report from the NCAA, we won't know what they have accepted," Cavagnaro said.
It's unclear when the NCAA will rule on UNLV. The Committee on Infractions routinely takes six to eight weeks from the date of the university's appearance before the committee. That means the NCAA could rule within two weeks.
However, Minnesota's case took approximately 10 weeks, because the Gophers went before the committee Aug. 11 in Beaver Creek, Colo.
* REBELS NOTES: The men's and women's basketball Fan Jam is next Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack. The free event will include dunk and 3-point contests and scrimmages by both teams. The first 200 fans will receive a Fan Jam T-shirt. ...
Utah gained an oral commitment Tuesday from 6-foot-11 center Chris Jackson from Los Alamos HS in New Mexico. He chose the Utes over Purdue, Stanford and New Mexico. ...
In other recruiting news, Michigan State got a commitment from the nation's No. 1 shooting guard prospect, Kelvin Torbert of Flint, Mich. He was a two-year standout at the Big Time Tournament here.
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