NOTES

Two Indiana University trustees will investigate former player Neil Reed’s allegation that he was choked by Coach Bob Knight.

“Any time a student-athlete raises questions of physical abuse by a coach, it is a serious matter,” university president Myles Brand said. “Once charges of this nature have been raised, we are obligated to review the matter.

“There are no sacred cows at Indiana University. That includes the basketball program,” Walda said.

Brand’s action came a day after an athletics advisory committee urged a review of Reed’s claim that Knight choked him at practice in 1997. Knight has denied choking Reed.

The trustees were told to report their findings to Brand within 90 days. He appointed John D. Walda, the president of the board of trustees, and Frederick F. Eichhorn, a trustee and former president of the Indiana State Bar Assn., to investigate.

Brand said he spoke to Knight, who was on a hunting trip, about the investigation.

“His response was, ‘I welcome it. I will do whatever is in the interest of the university,’ ” Brand said.

The 13-member advisory committee, made up of

*

Two Southern Methodist players face possible expulsion from school for alleged shenanigans during a hotel party March 10, hours after the team lost in from the Western Athletic Conference tournament.

Citing student privacy laws, SMU Athletic Director Jim Copeland refused to identify the players, but a police report identified them as Jeryl Sasser, a 6-foot-6 first-team all-conference guard, and Renaldo Bratton, a 6-foot reserve guard.

Sasser was SMU’s leading scorer this season. Both players are juniors.

SMU described what it called “inappropriate and disruptive behavior involving a few students” in the early morning of March 10. Two members of the SMU Spirit Squad also were suspended.

An SMU cheerleader told police in Fresno, site of the WAC tournament, that the two players “touched her through her clothes with their hands.” She did not want to file charges, the police report says.

The cheerleader, who wasn’t identified, appeared intoxicated when police talked to her, according to the report.

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Shane Ah Matt’s free throw with 1.5 seconds left was decisive as Metro State of Denver beat Missouri Southern, 75-74, in the NCAA Division II semifinals at Louisville, Ky. Metro State (32-4) plays Kentucky Wesleyan (31-2) Saturday for the championship.

Missouri Southern (30-3) lost despite shooting 56%. Metro State shot 45%, but converted 21 Missouri Southern turnovers into 21 points.

Metro State Coach Mike Dunlap is a prime candidate for Loyola Marymount’s vacant position.

Lorico Duncan scored six of his 31 points in overtime to lead defending champion Kentucky Wesleyan to an 87-81 victory over Seattle Pacific (27-5).

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Larry Eustachy, who led Iowa State to the Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament championships as well as the NCAA tournament’s round of eight, was selected Coach of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Assn. . . . Kaia Jergenson, a freshman at David Lipscomb in Nashville whose legs were amputated below the knee after she contracted meningitis, was transferred to a rehabilitation center in Chicago.