NCAA: Rush Eligible for Half of Schedule

The NCAA ruled that Missouri freshman forward Kareem Rush can regain his eligibility, but must be held out of half of the Tigers’ games.

“We’re all in support of Kareem,” Coach Quin Snyder said. “I’m glad it’s settled and we’ll try and make something positive out of it.”

The school plans to appeal the ruling today to the NCAA Subcommittee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, and anticipates that the case will be heard next week. Athletic Director Mike Alden complained that there was no statute of limitations.

“When you see something impact somebody, particularly on issues that took place when he was 15 years old, that’s even more troubling,” Alden said. “He’s a great representative of our university.”

The 6-foot-6 Rush averaged 10.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and played about 25 minutes a game in the first eight games. He has sat out the last two pending an investigation into alleged payment from an AAU coach in Kansas City before he enrolled at Missouri.

The NCAA in its ruling said that Rush will be required to repay the money, which will go to a charity of his choice.

Missouri met with a representative of the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Missouri on Monday. The NCAA also is investigating the coach involved, Myron Piggie, for alleged payments to Kareem Rush and his older brother, JaRon Rush of UCLA. Jaron also has been suspended.