| | ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan freshman Jamal Crawford was
ruled ineligible for the Wolverines' game Tuesday night with
Michigan State while the university awaited an NCAA ruling on possible rules violations.
Percy Bates, Michigan's NCAA faculty representative, said the question centered on Crawford's living arrangements while in high school. Bates said Crawford, with permission of his mother, lived with a man who wasn't his legal guardian for the three years he
attended Rainier Beach High School in Seattle.
"Essentially what (the NCAA) is saying is that this could be similar to an athlete having a sponsor, and an amateur can't have a sponsor," Bates said during a halftime news conference.
Athletic director Tom Goss said Michigan informed the NCAA last week after Crawford tried to register a car on campus.
"It was registered in his name and also his guardian's," Goss said. "He's never driven this car since he's been at Michigan."
Goss said Michigan officials were informed at 5:30 p.m. EST Tuesday that the matter couldn't be resolved before the game.
"Based on NCAA policy, the Michigan Athletic Department must
declare any athlete ineligible when there is a question of
potential NCAA rules violation," Bruce Madej, Michigan assistant
athletic director for media relations, said in a statement.
"Tonight, the NCAA reinstatement committee called to inform the
Michigan Athletic Department that they were not going to reach a
decision in regards to this question. The case is still under
review by the NCAA."
Crawford, who leads the Wolverines with a 16.6 points per game
average, was on the court at Crisler Arena about an hour before the
7 p.m. tipoff for a casual shootaround. But he was missing when the
teams came out about 20 minutes before the game for warmups.
When the Wolverines took the court just before tipoff, Crawford wore a warmup suit, his trademark headband and street shoes.
"To find out that we're without Jamal 25 minutes before the game, that's a little bit tough to take," Michigan coach Brian
Ellerbe said after the Wolverines lost 82-62.
"It was a complete shock to me, and I can't explain it,"
Ellerbe said. "I just want to coach basketball. We try to do
things the right way here."
Michigan released a statement from Crawford after the game.
"I want to say that I don't feel that I did anything wrong,"
Crawford said. "I understand that there are rules, but never did I
feel that I broke any of those rules.
"This comes as a surprise that they would rule this way on a decision my mother made for me three years ago."
Goss said Crawford's ineligibility is "clearly precautionary on our part." He said the university hopes to receive a favorable
ruling from the NCAA in time for Sunday's game against Ohio State. | |
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