Bruce Pearl suspended for first eight conference games
Apparently, the Tennessee Volunteers’ recent exhibition loss to the second-tier Indianapolis Greyhounds isn’t the worst news the men’s basketball program has received this month.
On Friday 19 November, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) decided to suspend the school’s head basketball coach, Bruce Pearl, for the Volunteers’ first eight in-conference match-ups of the season, according to
ESPN.com.
According to the report, the ruling was handed down from SEC commissioner Mike Silve, as the league concluded that Pearl had violated NCAA rules and misled investigators.
Although Pearl will helm the squad over the course of their next 10 games (all of which are out of conference), he will not be permitted to participate in practices or meetings, or have any other such affiliation with the team, on game days, starting 8 January
until 5 February.
"The suspension from coaching duties has been imposed after a careful review of the facts established during the NCAA’s investigation and reported to the SEC office," Silve said.
"I am extremely disappointed in the nature of the violations involving Coach Pearl and the Tennessee men’s basketball program. The penalty applied to this circumstance is significant, which is consistent with the directive approved by the SEC membership
in 2010 granting the commissioner authority to act in such cases."
The suspension stems from Pearl’s admission of improperly hosting a potential recruit at his home in 2008, as well as an acknowledgement of improper and excessive contact with other recruits.
Still the school and its chancellor, Jimmy Cheek, supported Pearl, asserting that he would be the "...Vols’ coach for a very long time."
According to the university, Tony Jones, the team’s associate head coach, will serve as the interim while Pearl serves his suspension. Pearl will be able to return to the bench halfway through his suspension, albeit for just one game, when his team takes on
non-conference foe Connecticut on 22 January.
He is expected to return full-time when Tennessee meets No. 13 Kentucky on 8 February.
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