Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 10, 1995 TAG: 9501100068
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
An NCAA eligibility committee, after studying an appeal filed by Tech in mid-December, has ruled that Browne can remain on scholarship and stay in school for the second semester, said Bill Foster, the Hokies' coach.
The NCAA refused to overturn an earlier decision that ruled Browne was a non-qualifier academically for the 1994-95 season, Foster said.
Browne was ruled a non-qualifier by the NCAA's eligibility clearinghouse in November because he fell short of the core requirements in two high school science courses.
``[The NCAA] did not change their opinion about the course, so he will be a partial qualifier with three years of eligibility left,'' Foster said.
``Therefore, he can stay in school and finish the year. [But] he can't practice, he can't play, he can't do anything.''
With his scholarship still intact, Browne has been saved the worry of having to come up with $7,000 tuition to pay Tech for his first semester of school.
``That's nice for the kid,'' Foster said. ``The whole idea of all these kind of rules is to not to penalize the kids, but to not give some team a competitive advantage. In this case there's no competitive advantage, and really you're helping the kid. I was kind of happy with how the thing worked out.''
Browne had been expected to be a contributor to this season's bench-thin team. The 6-foot-5 forward averaged 15.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season in prep school at Chatham's Hargrave Military Academy.
JOSTLING LEAGUES: With South Florida and UNC Charlotte expected to be extended invitations into the new Great Midwest-Metro metamorphosis Monday night at the NCAA Convention in San Diego, Louisville coach Denny Crum wondered Monday morning why Tech and VCU are being left out.
``Personally,'' said Crum, ``I would have liked to have seen all the Metro schools in. I would have liked to have seen them just merge the two leagues, then add Houston.''
While agreeing with the new league's proposed addition of South Florida and UNC Charlotte, Crum estimated the move will cost Louisville between $500,000 and $750,000.
``By playing a couple more conference games, it will likely eliminate a national TV opportunity or two for us and at least one home-game guarantee. Whether it will cost everyone that much I don't know.
``But I favor it because in the long haul the Charlotte and Tampa markets will be great additions for our package.''
Tech figures to land in the Atlantic 10 next season. VCU, with no other option, is likely to surface in the Colonial Athletic Association.
``I was hoping that Tech, UNC Charlotte, South Florida and us could stay together and get some more teams for the Metro,'' VCU coach Sonny Smith said Monday.
``But evidently, that's not going to happen. The only option left open to us now is the Colonial.''
POLL FADE: Although Foster was more than satisfied with a split on last week's two-game road trip to Tulane and Southern Miss, the national pollsters weren't too impressed.
Tech (11-2), ranked 25th in last week's USA Today-CNN Coaches' poll, received only seven voting points this week, which tied them for 48th in the balloting. Three Metro schools - Louisville, Tulane and VCU - outpointed Tech this week.
``It doesn't bother me,'' Foster said. ``I think they might have gotten us a little too high too quick.
``We've got a lot of opportunities coming up to take care of business ourselves. We play Louisville twice, VCU and go to Marquette and North Carolina over the next six games, so we'll get our chances.''
TECH TIDBITS: Sophomore forward Ace Custis, who had 42 points and 31 rebounds in Tech's two games last week, was named Metro player of the week. After going five years without a player winning the award, Tech has seen three of its players win in the first four weeks of this season's balloting. Shawn Smith and Damon Watlington won earlier ... Custis' 19 rebounds against Southern Miss was the most ever for a Hokie in a Metro game. The previous record was 17, held jointly by Antony Moses (1991) and Dale Solomon (1982) ... Tech opens league play at home this week against Louisville (Thursday) and surprising VCU (Saturday). The Rams, who upset the Cardinals 67-63 in Richmond last Thursday are 2-0 in the Metro for the first time ever ... The Hokies' 87-72 win at Southern Miss not only broke their 11-game losing streak to the Golden Eagles, but it moved Foster's record at Tech over .500. Foster is 49-48 at Tech in his three-plus seasons. Foster, who ranks 17th among active Division I coaches in wins, needs only 20 more victories to reach 500 for his career ... When Tech was ranked in both the USA Today-CNN Coaches' basketball and football polls last week, it marked the first time both programs had been nationally ranked at the same time since 1966-67.
by CNB