Indiana sends NCAA violations response

Bloomington, Ind -- Indiana University officials told the NCAA that its basketball program had been punished enough for alleged rules infractions by former coach Kelvin Sampson.

The officials released its response to the NCAA regarding the Sampson case on Monday. Indiana University officials are to appear in person before the NCAA's committee on Infractions next month, The Indianapolis Star reported.

In February, the NCAA alleged five major rules violations by Sampson regarding recruiting practices. The coach took a buyout and left the team two weeks later. Indiana had already penalized itself a basketball scholarship and limited recruiting.

"Since the University now has a new coaching staff that was not involved in any way with these phone calls (or the other allegations) and since this staff already has to serve the remainder of the self-imposed penalties, the University continues to believe additional penalties are unnecessary," the school's response said.

Sampson, the Star reported, denied the violations but Indiana's formal response claimed the coach isn't credible, citing "numerous inconsistencies" during interviews with school officials.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.