By
Keith Carmona
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Undisclosed NCAA violation keeps center in Tucson during Maui Invitational
Senior center Loren Woods of the UA men's basketball team has been suspended for six games for an undisclosed National Collegiate Athletic Association infraction, pending an appeal.
Woods did not accompany the Wildcats on their trip to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational Saturday morning and will not be eligible to play for Arizona until its Dec. 9 game at Connecticut.
"The appeal process starts on Monday with a collection of different NCAA officials," said Rocky LaRose, UA's associate athletic director. "There will be a conference call between Arizona and the (NCAA) officials and we'll just have to begin there. I wish I could say more about it, but I just can't."
In a statement released by the UA athletic department, a final determination is expected to be reached by Wednesday evening, after the Maui Invitational is over.
Woods could not be reached for comment and athletic department officials said they would not give specifics on the violation.
Although UA officials would not comment, ESPN.com reported late last night that the suspension is tied to an extra benefit Woods received from a source he has known since eighth grade. ESPN.com cited an official "close to the situation" as its source.
If Arizona successfully petitions the suspension, Woods would likely rejoin the team in Indianapolis Thursday for their game against Purdue Saturday.
Woods played in Arizona's exhibition game against Marathon Friday night, but did not start.
UA head coach Lute Olson said that Woods was kept to a reserve role in that game because of inadequate play in practice last week.
Woods played 21 minutes in that game, though Olson didn't indicate that he was under investigation for an NCAA violation.
"A lot of people are talking about how there are five starters, but they need to prove that to me in practice and we'll go from there," Olson said of Woods' benching after Friday's game.
Woods is the first high-profile athlete to be suspended by the NCAA since former UA football player Chris McAlister in 1998.
McAlister, a cornerback, was suspended for one game by the NCAA for abusing his status as an NFL prospect to procure a personal loan.
McAlister's $24,800 loan from an Austin, Texas bank was as a violation of guidelines for financial benefits available to amateur athletes, NCAA officials said in 1998.
