USC’s Bastianelli Cleared to Play

USC receiver Mike Bastianelli has been cleared by the NCAA to play Saturday against Washington after serving a two-game suspension for receiving improper assistance on a paper two years ago, but USC’s probe into allegations of other improprieties in its academic support program is ongoing.

A committee conducting what university counsel Todd Dickey called an “extremely thorough” investigation has interviewed more than 20 tutors and athletes--among them receiver R. Jay Soward as well as two academic counselors who allege that tutors routinely give improper aid to football players.

Soward said Tuesday he answered questions but said he has not received improper assistance and isn’t concerned by the probe.

“It was a misunderstanding,” said Soward, who leads USC with seven touchdowns. “I’m not sure what’s going on around here, but I’m a big-play guy and I guess they thought I might be getting a lot of help. They pretty much asked me if I was receiving a lot of help and I told them I didn’t receive too much help. I don’t even go over there to [Student Athlete Academic Services] very much.”

Bastianelli is relieved his part in the investigation has ended.

“I’m just glad it’s all over,” he said. “To me, everything else is unimportant except the Washington game. That’s the biggest game of the season right now. I think it could make or break our season. I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to play.”

Bastianelli was given the OK after the NCAA reviewed USC’s suspension and upheld it without adding any games.

“I wish it had never happened,” Bastianelli said. “I’m not holding any harsh feelings.”

USC has been investigating the practices of counselors in the Student Athlete Academic Services department since early October after two SAAS employees, including the one who worked with Bastianelli, charged that tutors routinely compose and write papers for members of the football team.

Noel M. Looney, one of the SAAS employees to step forward, was to speak with university investigators Tuesday.

The other employee, Dr. Christopher Cairney, already has been interviewed and is on paid administrative leave in another matter. He has denied giving Bastianelli improper assistance, and called Pacific 10 Conference and NCAA officials to reiterate his claims. However, the Pac-10 will wait until USC completes its internal investigation before looking into any of the allegations.

Cairney has called the investigation of Bastianelli “a salvo back at me” for bringing the allegations in a September memo to school officials. Bastianelli’s mother, Nancy West, said she believes internal matters between Cairney and the school contributed to her son’s suspension.

“I don’t think it’s any big conspiracy. I just think Mike got caught up in something else,” she said. “Had that never happened, I’m sure Mike never would have gotten thrown into this.

“We were all upset at first that Michael was singled out on something two years old,” she said. “Mike wasn’t totally innocent in this, in that he went to the counselor needing help at the last minute. Then again, this was his counselor. You’re a freshman, working with an adult, you figure you’re getting help like anyone else. . . . He never gave it another thought.”

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Times staff writer Lisa Dillman contributed to this story.