Baylor Receives Novel Penalty

The Baylor men’s basketball team was banned from playing nonconference games for one season and was put on five years’ probation by the NCAA on Thursday for rules violations found after a former player murdered a teammate in 2003.

Baylor was considered a repeat offender because the tennis program received sanctions in 2000 for improper financial aid and extra benefits.

Last week, Carlton Dotson, 23, was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in the death of Patrick Dennehy, a killing that led to revelations of wrongdoing in Baylor’s program.

Baylor’s interim President William D. Underwood said the Bears would play the shortened schedule this season.

Gene Marsh, chairman of the Division I Committee on Infractions and a professor of law at Alabama, said he believes it is the first time the NCAA has instituted a partial ban on regular-season games in basketball.

He said the committee seriously considered banning Baylor’s program for a season.

Golf

After taking more than five hours to complete his morning round in the Barclays Classic, second-ranked Vijay Singh criticized PGA Tour rules officials for allowing slow players to reduce the pace to a crawl at Westchester Country Club in Harrison, N.Y.

“It’s slow. It’s always slow here. It’s ridiculous,” Singh said. “I mean you play a round of golf in five hours and wait on every shot. It’s just like the officials are just blind. You don’t see one out there.”

The Fijian had little to say about the three-under 68 that left him three strokes behind first-round leader Jim Furyk.

Miscellany

Miami Dolphin safety Quintin Williams was arrested on drunk-driving and drag racing charges after he was stopped while driving 111 mph on an interstate near the team’s practice facility in Davie, Fla.

U.S. national team midfielder Eddie Lewis signed a two-year contract with Leeds United of England’s first division. If Lewis, 30, is granted a work permit by the English government, he will move from Preston North End, where his contract expired.

In England, Lewis also has played for Fulham.

Marie Ferdinand scored 18 points and rookie Katie Feenstra had 14 points and 11 rebounds as the San Antonio Silver Stars (3-10) ended a four-game losing streak with a 64-49 victory over the Charlotte Sting (1-9) at Charlotte, N.C.

Defending champions Misty May and Kerri Walsh maintained their perfect record after players staged a brief boycott over contract negotiations at the Beach Volleyball World Championship in Berlin.

After play resumed, May and Walsh beat hosts Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau, 21-19, 21-17, for their fourth victory in a row at the championship.

Tennessee Titan punter Craig Hentrich had emergency surgery Wednesday to remove his appendix, Coach Jeff Fisher said.

The East Coast Hockey League announced that the Long Beach Ice Dogs will be part of the newly formed Pacific Division. The Pacific Division will also include the San Diego Gulls, Bakersfield Condors, Fresno Falcons and Stockton Thunder.

Horse Racing

Be A Bono, the world champion quarter horse of 2004, will try to rebound from a loss in his first start of this year when he takes on a quality field in tonight’s $134,000 Vessels Maturity, a Grade I at 400 yards at Los Alamitos.

Trainer Noble Threewitt, 94, who has been present at the opening of five California racetracks, will be the second recipient of the Laffit Pincay Jr. award on July 9 at Hollywood Park.

High Schools

Dave Lewis has resigned as baseball coach at Cypress after leading the Division II Centurions (25-7) to their first Southern Section championship in his fifth season. A coach at Cypress for 13 years, Lewis will remain as a teacher but has left coaching to spend more time with his family.