West Region notebook: LSU, Purdue make cut despite NCAA woes

Steve Addy

Thursday, March 23, 2000 | 10:33 a.m.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- If there are NCAA sanctions in UNLV's future, the Rebels need not let them cripple their program.

For confirmation, they only need to watch the NCAA West Regional, where LSU and Purdue are both in the round of 16 despite probation for various recruiting violations. Neither has allowed its penalties to be more than a minor hindrance.

UNLV has until May 10 to respond to an NCAA letter of inquiry which details allegations ranging from boosters paying recruits to poor oversight of the program by coach Bill Bayno. The charges could result in probation if the NCAA maintains its stance that UNLV is a "repeat violator."

But probation needn't by synonymous with ruination, as LSU and Purdue are proving.

LSU has one year remaining on its three-year probation resulting from the recruitment of Lester Earl under previous coach Dale Brown. Earl was paid $5,000 by a Baton Rouge doctor in 1996, and the Tigers were hit hard by the NCAA investigation, being limited to only four new scholarships this season and next season combined. An appeal to reinstate one of the scholarships failed.

But the Tigers (28-5) muddled through and are thriving, mainly because they landed ace recruit Stromile Swift in 1998. Though the NCAA hammer was poised over the Tigers, the 6-foot-9 forward signed with them and that encouraged other leading recruits to consider LSU.

"I really wanted to go to Michigan, but it was too cold there," Swift said.

Swift made the All-America third team this season after averaging 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds.

"When Stromile decided to come to Baton Rouge, we were under an NCAA investigation, and he had other schools he could have chosen that were more established programs with no NCAA problems," coach John Brady said. "But he wanted to stay in his home state and make a difference.

"Torris Bright, Jabari Smith and some of our lesser-known guys had other options, too. But all of them chose to come to LSU in a very difficult time. For them to accomplish what they have, I think it speaks well of their dedication. We only have nine scholarship players this season and nine next season. So for our team to go through that and get to this point, my hat's off."

The full force of the NCAA hasn't yet hit Purdue, it should be noted. The Boilermakers received two years probation for violations by former assistant coach Frank Kendrick, who was reassigned in the athletic department. They will give up one scholarship each year, and the NCAA withheld approximately $90,000 of the school's NCAA Tournament profits.

Because LSU and Purdue are on opposite sides of the bracket, there will not be a Probation Bowl tonight. Purdue plays Gonzaga at 4:55 p.m., followed by LSU vs. Wisconsin around 7:15.

* AXEL RISES: While every reporter in America swoops in to praise all things Gonzaga, they are finding out that the Zags are more than a two-man team of Matt Santangelo and Richie Frahm. The play of Australian center Axel Dench has been especially crucial in the last month.

Dench, a 6-foot-11 senior, has come into his own since midseason. Though he averaged 9.5 points and 5.0 rebounds for the season, he has averaged 12.2 and 6.5 over the last eight games. In the Zags' subregional wins over Louisville and St. John's, he compiled 31 points and 13 rebounds.

A greater emphasis on physical play under the basket has keyed Dench's improvement. He had been more of a jump shooter in the past, even attempting seven 3-pointers in a game this season.

"Axel's mind-set has become that he is big and strong, and now he is going to play that way," Santangelo said. "He is really enjoying the physical aspect of the game. Without him, we don't make it this far."

* KEADY'S QUIPS: Purdue coach Gene Keady has guided 17 teams to the NCAA Tournament, including 16 in 20 years with the Boilermakers. But despite getting to the round of 16 five times, he has never reached the Final Four. At least he has kept his sense of humor.

After Gonzaga coach Mark Few said that Purdue's roster is "full of McDonald's All-Americans," Keady said, "We don't even have one. I don't know what that (comment) means. Maybe it means we can eat the most McDonald's." WEST NOTEBOOK