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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, August 20, 2009

NCAA throws out Memphis' Final Four run


MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The NCAA has stripped Memphis of every victory in its 38-win season under coach John Calipari that ended in the national title game last year, saying the school used an ineligible player.

The announcement today came 16 months after the Tigers lost to Kansas in the championship game following the 2007-08 season. School officials were expected to discuss the report later Thursday.

It is the second time both Memphis and Calipari had to vacate Final Four seasons. The Tigers were stripped of their 1985 appearance and Calipari's Massachusetts team lost its 1996 berth.

Calipari is now the head coach at Kentucky, where officials have voiced support for him despite the Memphis scandal.

The NCAA did not identify the player by name, though earlier descriptions of him lead to the conclusion it could only be current Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose. He was taken by the Bulls as the No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft and went on to win the NBA rookie of the year award.

The player was accused of having another person take his SAT exam so he would be eligible as a freshman. Memphis argued it did not have enough information to substantiate the allegations in November 2007 and cleared him to play.

However, the SAT officials later conducted their own investigation and notified the player, the university and the NCAA's eligibility center that they were canceling his test in May 2008.

The agency said it sent letters to the player in March and April 2008; the latter letter was sent three days after Rose and the Tigers lost to the Jayhawks. The player did not respond to either letter.

The committee also said the player's brother received free transportation on the team's charter plane and hotel lodging that season. Investigators said the total cost would have come to $1,713.85. Such an arrangement is considered an impermissible extra benefit.

The school's women's golf team also received three years probation and lost a scholarship for violations in its program.