NCAA Upset by St. John’s

The NCAA rebuked St. John’s for saying it had been treated unfairly during the investigation of guard Erick Barkley’s eligibility.

“In media accounts [Wednesday], St. John’s had given the appearance that the NCAA is holding up the process. Quite the contrary,” NCAA President Cedric Dempsey said in a statement.

“What held up the process is that the university did not provide information necessary to make an interpretation of NCAA legislation. The university has known there was concern about the eligibility of one of its student-athletes since Feb. 17.”

Barkley was declared ineligible Tuesday over how part of his tuition and fees was paid for the 1997-98 academic year at Maine Central Institute. It was the second time he was declared ineligible over NCAA rules violations. He missed two games in early February for exchanging vehicles with a family friend.

St. John’s released a statement during Tuesday night’s 66-60 victory over Seton Hall, in which Barkley did not play, that said it had concluded its investigation into the tuition matter and found no violations. The NCAA disagreed and told the school to declare him ineligible immediately.

In its release St. John’s said the nature of the alleged violation was that Riverside Church, an Amateur Athletic Union program for which Barkley played, provided him with support in the amount of $3,150 out of fees and tuition totaling $21,500.

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