According to a report Thursday in the News-Times of Danbury, the UConn junior and preseason Big East player of the year has used a 1998 Land Rover registered to a Hartford, Conn., man who claims El-Amin left him game tickets the past two seasons.

Following the Huskies' stunning 70-68 loss to Iowa on Thursday night in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, El-Amin said "never" when he was asked if had borrowed the car.

"There was no wrongdoing on my part," he said. "I've spoken to the people who need to be spoken to, and the situation should be handled."

El-Amin had 26 points, all but two in the second half, in the Huskies' first game as defending national champions.

Coach Jim Calhoun would not comment on the matter, but the school issued a statement about 90 minutes before tipoff.

"All student-athlete related matters are dealt with internally at the University of Connecticut," the statement said. "Consistent with past practices within our division of athletics, we are not at liberty to provide any further comment."

Huskies center Jake Voskuhl was cleared of wrongdoing by the NCAA two weeks ago after questions arose over his use of a Lexus owned by a Connecticut restaurateur not connected to the basketball program.

The difference in El-Amin's case is he reportedly left tickets for Diary Davis, the registered owner of the Land Rover, which may qualify Davis as a booster of the athletic program.

El-Amin said he would classify Davis as a "friend."

NCAA rules prohibit student athletes from receiving any "extra benefits," including the use of an automobile, from boosters. Athletes also are forbidden to exchange tickets for "any item of value," according to the NCAA bylaws.

NCAA spokeswoman Jane Jankowski said, "This is something the university needs to look into and contact the NCAA if there is any validity as to whether a violation may have occurred."

Davis has an unpublished phone number and could not be reached for comment. But he told the News-Times earlier that he has known El-Amin for about two years and that "we're real, real close."