St. John's assistant coach Mike Jarvis II said the suspension will include last Saturday's game against Boston College, Tuesday's game at Providence and Saturday's game against Villanova at Madison Square Garden.

	Erick Barkley cannot travel with the team while he is suspended.

"We're not happy with it," Jarvis II said. "It's not fair. There's no appeal process. Even if you do, the kid doesn't get the games back."

But St. John's athletics director Ed Manetta Jr. said the school is appealing to the NCAA's Division I Sub-Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement and expects a ruling by Friday.

"We're disappointed and think the ruling is unfortunate," Manetta said. "We appealed immediately and that's the process we're in right now, and that started Saturday. We have moved on to the next committee in the process and are hoping for a ruling from it by late Thursday or Friday morning."

The suspension is in line with NCAA precedent. The NCAA has suspended players for a similar offense for 20 percent of their remaining games (even though St. John's has eight games left). Michigan guard Jamal Crawford was recently suspended for six games, 20 percent of the Wolverines' remaining regular-season schedule.

Barkley was averaging 17.1 points and 4.1 assists per game for the Red Storm. He was expected to join the team in Providence late Monday but the NCAA didn't offer an expected decision. Ineligible players are not allowed to travel with the team. Barkley is allowed to practice during his suspension.

A source close to the situation said the suspension came about because Barkley traded his late model Jeep Cherokee for a bigger but older Chevy Suburban that belongs to a family friend. The source also said that Barkley has known the family friend in question since 10th grade, and that the NCAA suspected that the friend was acting as an agent for Barkley.

St. John's was contesting that charge under the belief that the two had a pre-existing relationship, a source told ESPN.com.

The exchange could be a violation of NCAA rules if Barkley received preferential treatment because he is an athlete or if this constituted possible payback for when he turns professional.

Head coach Mike Jarvis Sr. said Sunday he does not want to get into a war of words with the NCAA. But on Saturday, he was adamant in both his support of Barkley and criticism of the NCAA.

"I hope and pray I see the day when there is no NCAA, and when we are guided by the values system with which we are brought up on, that we fight for every day in this country," he said. "Maybe St. John's will be a leader in that move. Enough is enough. It's time for a change.

"This young man has done absolutely, positively nothing wrong," Jarvis said, using phrases like "Communist totalitarianism" and "the Gestapo" in describing the NCAA.

On Monday, Jarvis issued an apology for a statement he made during the postgame news conference.

"I apologize for likening this situation to rape," Jarvis said in the statement. "It clearly is not a comparable situation and I was wrong to say that it was. I said something in an emotional moment that was insensitive and I am deeply sorry for that."

On Saturday, Jarvis, commenting about the NCAA, said "I hope that none of you feel the way I have the last two days, as if someone had come into my house and raped me."

Information from ESPN.com news services was used in the report.