Press Box: NCAA hands minor sanctions to Miami
The University of Miami will not be banned from postseason games and faces a minor reduction of scholarships as the result of NCAA violations including a lack of institutional control.
The NCAA called Miami's level of cooperation commendable and credited the university for its transparency.
The Committee on Infractions announced the penalties Tuesday, including a three-year probation period effective immediately. The scholarship reductions are from the overall number of scholarships, not from the initial total, meaning a full recruiting class remains possible.
Miami accepted the punishment and will not use the allowed 15-day window to appeal. The basketball team will lose one scholarship per season for three years.
Former Miami head basketball coach Frank Haith, now head coach at Missouri, was suspended five games for not promoting "an atmosphere of compliance." The incident that started the investigation into Haith's actions was a payment with Haith's knowledge to DeQuan Jones.
NBA
Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook participated in portions on Monday's practice for the first time since right knee surgery in early October.
Westbrook will miss the first four to six weeks of the 2013 season. He experienced swelling in his right knee, a setback in his recovery from a torn ACL.
Westbrook averaged 23.2 points and 7.4 assists per game last season but tore the ACL in his right knee April 24 in Game 2 of a opening-round series against the Houston Rockets.
--The Dallas Mavericks released four players, requesting waivers on Renaldo Balkman, Devin Ebanks, D.J. Kennedy and Fab Melo.
All four players were invited to camp on nonguaranteed deals.
NHL
--Edmonton Oilers left winger Taylor Hall is expected to miss one month with a left knee injury. The team announced after an MRI on his left knee that the four-year veteran would be out until mid-November.
Hall was injured when he hit knee-to-knee with Ottawa Senators defenseman Eric Gryba on Saturday. He had eight points in nine games before returning to Edmonton for tests.
