Fresno State President Talks Tough

Fresno State President John Welty said he will pull the school’s basketball team out of the NIT if any more players get into trouble.

The warning came at a news conference called by Welty on Wednesday to discuss the recent arrests of two players and a story on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that recounted a litany of drug and other legal problems.

“Obviously, the behavior of a couple of our basketball players has again generated a black eye for this university,” Welty said. “With each shameful incident, the institutional damage is compounded.

“My patience and the patience of others throughout this university are at an end.”

The Bulldogs advanced to the third round of the tournament with a last-second 83-80 victory over Memphis Monday night. They play Hawaii in a quarterfinal game tonight at Honolulu.

Senior Avondre Jones and freshman Kenny Brunner were arrested Tuesday for investigation of robbing and assaulting an acquaintance, Colin DeForrest, with a gun and two samurai swords.

Jones and Brunner denied the accusations, but Coach Jerry Tarkanian kicked Jones off the team and suspended Brunner indefinitely.

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

Sam Jacobson made two acrobatic layups in the final minute to rally Minnesota (18-15) to a 73-71 victory over Marquette (20-11) in a quarterfinal game at Minneapolis. Minnesota, which won the NIT in 1993, lost in the NCAA Final Four last year. . . . Greg Grays scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half, including a tiebreaking three-point basket, to help Penn State (18-12) beat Georgia Tech (19-14), 75-70, at Atlanta.