NCAA Bars UNLV From Defense of Title : Basketball: Penalty involves recruiting violations laid to Coach Jerry Tarkanian in 1977.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas was barred by the NCAA today from defending its men’s basketball title, making it the second champion ever--and the second in three years--to be denied the right to defend.

The penalty involved violations originally detailed by the NCAA in 1977 that started a 13-year battle with UNLV Coach Jerry Tarkanian that finally ended up in the Supreme Court.

The one-year prohibition from the NCAA tournament will not affect television appearances or the number of athletic scholarships UNLV is allowed to give.

The postseason ban could also include the NIT tournament. But it will be up to the Big West Conference to determine if UNLV can play in its postseason tournament.

UNLV has four starters returning from its national championship team, which routed Duke in the title game, 103-73. UNLV was likely to be the consensus preseason No. 1 this year.

The ruling today was separate from an ongoing NCAA investigation involving the recruitment of New York prep star Lloyd Daniels, and left school officials worried that more severe penalties could result from that probe.

After UNLV and Tarkanian were found guilty of recruiting violations in 1977, the school served a two-year probation and Tarkanian was suspended for two years by the school, as ordered by the NCAA, but he sued to block the suspension.

The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1988, and a 5-4 ruling reaffirmed the NCAA’s right to discipline its member schools, but ruled that only a school can discipline a coach. But a Nevada state court injunction still in effect bars the school from taking any action against Tarkanian.

Kansas was the first champion barred from defending its title by the NCAA. It received sanctions after winning the 1988 national championship.

“This punishment does not fit the offense,” UNLV President Robert Maxson said. “The university 13 years ago did everything the NCAA asked it to do. We were on probation for two years. We had no TV for two years. We suspended Tarkanian at that time and he got an injunction.”

Tarkanian, reached at his San Diego vacation home, declined to comment. “I have nothing to say right now,” he said.

Danny Tarkanian, the coach’s son and his lawyer, said the ruling will be appealed to the NCAA Council, which next meets in October.

“This is a complete outrage,” he said. “It shows a complete disregard about people’s individual rights and liberties.”

He said team officials had met with the NCAA in June and were given no indication that sanctions were upcoming.

“Something happened from the time of the meeting to now or they just put on the greatest act you’ve seen in the meeting,” Tarkanian said.

“This will be appealed. If my dad doesn’t have any fight left, there is enough people that do.”