Local Ties to Possible Recruiting Violations

At least six college basketball programs are reportedly involved in controversial recruiting and scheduling agreements that have steered more than $100,000 to a business run by Los Angeles City College Coach Mike Miller.

A CBSSportsline.com story Wednesday alleged that D1 Scheduling, a company founded by Miller, might have delivered L.A. City players to programs that paid the company to arrange nonconference games.

One example cited by the report: Iowa State paid $40,000 for D1 Scheduling to arrange a game with Tennessee State last season. That figure is about the going rate a top major-college program would offer a visiting team for a nonconference game. However, Tennessee State -- which has three LACC transfers among the top players on its roster -- received only $10,000 from D1 Scheduling to play the game.

Reserve Anthony Davis is the only former LACC player on Iowa State’s roster.

Iowa State Athletic Director Jamie Pollard acknowledged the school was “associated with something that certainly has the appearance that is less than desirable.... “

Miller, whose junior college teams have won two state championships, defended D1 Scheduling’s actions to CBSSportsline.com, saying, “Looks can be deceiving, because there’s no quid pro quo here.”

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Tim Buckley was fired as Ball State coach and reassigned to a new job with university development.... Temple guard Mardy Collins was released from the hospital a day after he was wheeled off the floor in a neck brace during an 80-73 loss in the NIT. All tests were negative.

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Vanguard beat Texas College, 91-47, at Jackson, Tenn., to move to the second round of the NAIA women’s Div. I tournament. The Master’s advanced with a 65-50 win over Auburn Montgomery.... In the men’s NAIA Div. I tournament, Azusa Pacific beat John Brown, 65-63, in the first round at Kansas City, Mo.