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| | Monday, November 20 'Minor' violation has major impact at Arizona | |||||
| By Andy Katz ESPN.com Arizona center Loren Woods' six-game suspension by the NCAA deals with an undisclosed extra benefit with a person he had a pre-existing relationship with dating back to the eighth grade, sources close to the situation said Sunday. Arizona is banking on the NCAA believing that there was just cause for the extra benefit in its attempts to get Woods' penalty reduced to three games. Most extra benefit penalties are for 20 percent, or six games, of a player's season. But a reduction in a suspension can occur down to 10 percent, or three games. The sources termed the violation as "minor," so small that they were surprised by the NCAA's penalty on Woods. But NCAA officials said they always act on precedent. Sources said the Wildcats, who fell from No. 1 to No. 2 in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 coaches poll released Sunday night, have appealed the suspension and expect to hear from the NCAA as early as Tuesday as to whether or not the 7-foot, 1-inch preseason All-American can join the team Thursday in Denver. The Wildcats are stopping in Denver on their way back from the Maui Invitational en route to Saturday's game against Purdue in the John Wooden Tradition event in Indianapolis. The Wildcats won't divulge the extra benefit but were apparently furious at the NCAA for suspending Woods. Sources said the NCAA received a tip and notified the school Thursday about an alleged violation. Arizona self-reported the incident Friday after receiving word from the NCAA. The coaching staff and Woods spoke with the NCAA by phone Friday, prior to the Wildcats' exhibition game against Marathon Oil in Tucson. Woods, who is a fifth-year senior, and the staff weren't informed that he would be suspended until after Friday's game. Neither Woods nor Gilbert Arenas started the Marathon Oil game but sources said that had to do with team violations earlier in the week, not an NCAA penalty. Members of the team didn't know Woods wouldn't be going to the Maui Invitational until they boarded a sunrise flight Saturday. Sources said Arizona was upset by the timing of the NCAA's decision, claiming that had they found out during a normal week they would have had a chance to appeal the decision before leaving for Maui. But learning of the decision late Friday forced them to leave Woods behind. If the Wildcats lose their appeal, he wouldn't play until Dec. 9 at No. 12 Connecticut. Arizona plays host Chaminade on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational. The Wildcats are in the same bracket as Connecticut and Dayton. Maryland, Louisville, Illinois and UNLV are in the other bracket. The tournament concludes Wednesday. Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. | ALSO SEE Woods' absence to test Wildcats' depth at Maui High Five: Woods returns to make Arizona a title threat In the crosshairs: Loren Woods | |||||