Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 14, 1991                   TAG: 9102140130
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHICAGO                                LENGTH: Medium

SCHOOLS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIGHTS

The rule is being tested by a bench-clearing brawl Tuesday during a game between Illinois State and Chicago State. Two players from Chicago State and one from Illinois State were ejected for fighting.

The rule states that any player ejected for fighting must sit out the team's next game. Second-time offenders are sidelined for the rest of the season and cannot participate in postseason play.

"The rule is in the basketball rules book, so the NCAA national office has nothing to do with it," NCAA communications director James Marchiony said. "Like any other game violation, it's for the game officials and the schools to resolve."

The NCAA gets involved only if the rule in question is listed in the NCAA Manual, Marchiony said. This might involve violations of recruiting and scholarship rules or unwarranted bonuses to players.

Chicago State, an independent, and Illinois State, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, will abide by the rule and suspend the players ejected for fighting, officials of the universities said. But it remains unclear what would happen if the schools decided to ignore the rule.

Gene Bartow, chairman of the NCAA's Basketball Rules Committee, said a school might be banned from postseason play for ignoring the rule, but he acknowledged there was no clear precedent to deal with these cases.

"I don't think there's any doubt a team would pay somehow for ignoring the rule. I'm sure they'd end up being punished," said Bartow, athletic director and basketball coach at Alabama-Birmingham.

Bartow said he was certain conference officials have advised referees to be especially cautious about ejecting players for fighting.

"We will definitely follow the rules of the NCAA. There's no second thought about that," Chicago State athletic director Al Avant said. "We don't want to be an outlaw school."

Avant said other teams might shy away from playing the Cougars if the school ignored the rule.

Game officials ejected 11 Chicago State players - eight for leaving the bench, two for fighting and one for an unsportsmanlike act. One Illinois State player was ejected for fighting.

The rule, which took effect this season, applies only to fighting violations.

The brawl began with one second remaining in the first half and Illinois State leading 39-27. A still unidentified Chicago State player landed on top of Illinois State's Scott Taylor when the two were chasing a loose ball out of bounds and refused to let Taylor get up, according to Illinois State coach Bob Bender.

"This is the only time I've been involved in something like this," Bender said. "It had potential to be much worse. I've seen worse on TV, but it wasn't good."

Chicago State's bench cleared during the fight, which lasted about three minutes.