COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - The feel-good season for No. 14 Memphis plunged into uncertainty Friday after the school said second-year coach and former NBA star Penny Hardaway gave more than $11,000 to the family of top prospect James Wiseman, who got a court order allowing him to play while the university tries to restore his NCAA eligibility.
Memphis issued an extraordinary statement less than an hour before the Tigers played Illinois-Chicago at home, saying Wiseman was going to be kept out of games based on interpretation of a rule by the NCAA until the temporary restraining order obtained by Wiseman’s attorney Leslie Ballin late Friday afternoon.
“The University is currently working with the NCAA staff to restore his playing status, and we are hopeful for a speedy resolution to the matter,” the statement said.
The 7-foot-1 Wiseman was on the court Friday night. He scored 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had five blocks in a 92-46 win.
Hardaway declined to take questions on the NCAA and legal issues after the game. The coach also made clear that Wiseman will continue to play, at least until a Nov. 18 hearing, and liked how the freshman handled a roller-coaster day.
The NCAA declined to comment after Ballin announced that Wiseman had been ruled ineligible at a late afternoon news conference in Memphis. But the NCAA tweeted out a statement Friday night with Wiseman playing.
“The University of Memphis was notified that James Wiseman is likely ineligible,” the NCAA wrote on Twitter. “The university chose to play him and ultimately is responsible for ensuring its student-athletes are eligible to play.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - No. 3 Ohio State announced Friday it will not play star defensive end Chase Young against Maryland this weekend amid concerns he violated NCAA rules by taking a loan last year from someone he describes as a “family friend.”
The surprising move was disclosed in the team’s status report and depth chart for Saturday’s game. Ohio State said only that Young was being held out because of a “possible NCAA issue from last year” the athletic department is “looking into.” The school did not elaborate or say how long he might be out.
Young, however, took to Twitter a short time later.
“I made a mistake last year by accepting a loan from a family friend I’ve known since the summer before my freshman year at OSU,” he wrote on his verified Twitter account Friday morning. “I repaid it in full last summer and I’m working with the University and NCAA to get back on the field as soon as possible.”
Tim Nevius, an attorney and former NCAA investigator, confirmed he is working with Young. He tweeted that Young “took a small loan from a close family friend last year to cover basic life expenses. Loan was repaid months ago and we’re working to restore his eligibility.”
NFL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Patrick Mahomes will start for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, just over two weeks after the quarterback’s season was jeopardized by a dislocated kneecap.
Mahomes never missed a practice after hurting his knee on a Thursday night against Denver. Some thought the seriousness of the injury could sideline the league MVP for months.
It turned out there was no structural damage, and it became a waiting game to see when Mahomes would take the field. He practiced on a limited basis the first week before being ruled out against Green Bay. He was limited against last week before being inactive against Minnesota.
Matt Moore had started in his place, losing to the Packers and beating the Vikings.
CLEVELAND (AP) - The Browns have signed steady center JC Tretter to a three-year, $32.5 million contract extension.
Tretter has started all 40 games since signing with Cleveland as a free agent before the 2017 season. The 28-year-old, who spent his first three NFL seasons with Green Bay, has helped solidify a Cleveland offensive line that lost 10-time Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas before last season and has struggled this year.
Tretter’s deal includes $23 million guaranteed.
Browns general manager John Dorsey said Tretter “embodies all of the qualities that you look for in a football player.”
Tretter didn’t miss a snap last season despite playing with a severely sprained ankle, which limited his practice time and required daily treatments. With Tretter anchoring the middle, Cleveland’s line did a solid job protecting then-rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield. He was only sacked five times in the final eight games.
RUNNING
Nike will investigate allegations of abuse by runner Mary Cain while she was a member of Alberto Salazar’s training group.
Cain joined the disbanded Nike Oregon Project run by Salazar in 2013, soon after competing in the 1,500-meter final at track and field’s world championships when she was 17.
Now 23, Cain tells The New York Times in a video essay that under Salazar’s direction she was told to lose weight and he created an “arbitrary number of 114 pounds.” Cain says she started having suicidal thoughts and cutting herself.
Nike says in a statement that these are “deeply troubling allegations which have not been raised by Mary or her parents before.” The company adds it takes this matter “extremely seriously and will launch an immediate investigation to hear from former Oregon Project athletes.”
COURTS
LAS VEGAS (AP) - O.J. Simpson is suing a Las Vegas hotel-casino, alleging unnamed employees defamed him by telling celebrity news site TMZ he was ordered off the property in 2017 for being drunk, disruptive and unruly.
The former football star denies in the lawsuit filed Thursday against the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas that he was belligerent, broke glass or damaged property.
The Cosmopolitan declined to comment. TMZ is not a defendant in the case.
The complaint acknowledges Simpson got a notice banning him from the property after he spent several hours at a steakhouse and a lounge.
The 72-year-old Simpson is on parole from prison and living in Las Vegas.
He served nine years for armed robbery and assault after a bid to retrieve personal memorabilia at a Las Vegas hotel in 2007.
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