Syracuse Players Suspended, Then Reinstated

Billy Owens was among seven Syracuse players, including four starters, who were suspended and then reinstated Friday as part of the school’s investigation into possible NCAA violations.

School spokesman Robert Hill said the “infractions vary from player to player,” but he refused to elaborate.

NCAA spokesman Jim Marchiony said Syracuse followed NCAA rules in making the suspensions and then appealing to the NCAA’s eligibility staff for reinstatement, and “that action warranted immediate restoration of the players’ eligibility.”

The eligibility staff is separate from the infractions committee, a five-member group that hears evidence on possible violations and renders decisions on sanctions.

The starters involved, besides Owens, were senior center LeRon Ellis, junior forward Dave Johnson, and sophomore guard Michael Edwards. Owens is averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds a game, Johnson 20 points, and Ellis 11 points and 7.7 rebounds.

The other players were sophomore guard Mike Hopkins, sophomore forward Dave Siock and senior walk-on Chandu Carey.

The suspended players were left behind when the team left Friday for a game today against Notre Dame at South Bend, Ind. Upon their reinstatement, they boarded a plane to rejoin the team.

“It was a very troublesome situation, a very nervous situation for all of us,” Hill, the school spokesman, said.

Only three scholarship players made the trip to South Bend with Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim--freshman guard Adrian Autry, the lone remaining starter, freshman guard Scott McCorkle and sophomore center Conrad McRae. Also along were walk-ons Brad Small, Vinnie Cohen and Todd Barlok, who have a combined 30 minutes and 14 points.

Boeheim, who conducted a practice session without his top players Friday afternoon, said he was unaware that the suspensions and reinstatements are apparently routine NCAA transactions.

“I didn’t know that. I was ready to go with three football players, three walk-ons, the two freshmen and McRae,” Boeheim said. “It’s been a crazy 24 hours. It’s been going on for the last couple of days.”

The school began its probe after the Syracuse Post-Standard published a series of articles in December, alleging that Syracuse might have broken several NCAA rules, such as allowing players to receive merchandise, cut-rate use of cars and even cash gifts from boosters.

Hill said the investigation turned up some things in the past week.

The Syracuse newspaper had reported that a network of booster families supported basketball players in Syracuse.

On Wednesday, Hill said that school would look into allegations that Johnson and Hopkins lived at the home of basketball booster Joseph Giannuzzi.