Maryland Gets 3-Year Penalty : College basketball: NCAA cites university for 18 violations and orders it to return money earned from 1988 tournament.

The Maryland men’s basketball program was banned from postseason play in 1991 and 1992 and placed on three years’ probation by the NCAA on Monday for major violations that occured during the three-year tenure of Coach Bob Wade.

Maryland was cited for a lack of institutional control over the program, which was found guilty of 18 rules violations committed while Wade was coach.

The Terrapins (18-12), who are still eligible for postseason play this season, also will be prohibited from appearing on television next season, which apparently prohibits their competing in the 1991 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. Maryland also must return $407,378 of the money earned from the 1988 NCAA tournament, in which the Terrapins advanced to the second round.

No limits were placed on recruiting visits. The number of scholarships for the next two years will be limited to 13, two below the NCAA maximum. The NCAA could have severely restricted recruiting and eliminated scholarships for several years.

The sanctions are Maryland’s punishment for violations that included providing recruits with free clothing, providing a car for a student-athlete and the sale of complimentary ACC tournament tickets.

President William Kirwan said that the university plans to appeal several of the NCAA penalties. The school has 15 days to notify the NCAA of its appeal.

The most serious violations committed by Wade were providing a leased car, making cash payments of $272 and giving rides to former Terrapin guard Rudy Archer, who played the 1987-88 season at Maryland; and giving free or greatly discounted clothing to Alonzo Mourning and Brian Williams while they were being recruited.

Mourning plays at Georgetown and Williams, who attended St. Bernard High in Playa del Rey, transferred to Arizona after his freshman season at Maryland.

Wade was also found guilty of providing false information to investigators, and assistant coach Jeff Adkins was found guilty of selling complimentary tickets for players to the 1988 ACC tournament.

The university forced Wade to resign in May. The NCAA is unable to penalize Wade directly, though he could be forced to appear before the Infractions Committee if he is hired by an NCAA-member institution.