(Reuters) - The NCAA on Tuesday banned the Southern Methodist University men's basketball team from postseason play in 2016 and suspended head coach Larry Brown for 30 percent of the team's games this season because of multiple rules violations, including academic fraud.
In addition to academic fraud, SMU was also cited for unethical conduct and a lack of head coach control, according to a National Collegiate Athletic Association infraction panel.
The NCAA said a former assistant coach encouraged a player to enroll in an online course to meet eligibility standards and be admitted to the university. After enrolling in the course, a former administrative assistant received the student’s online credentials and then completed all of his coursework.