College Basketball

Nevada Las Vegas Coach Jerry Tarkanian blamed NCAA sanctions due next season for junior guard Anderson Hunt’s decision to pass up his final year of collegiate eligibility and make himself available for next month’s NBA draft.

Hunt’s departure means that UNLV has lost all of its returning starters from the team that went 34-1 last season, losing to Duke in the national semifinals.

“If we were in the (NCAA) tournament (next year), there’s no question he’d be back,” Tarkanian said.