NCAA bans SMU from 2016 postseason play, suspends coach

Larry Brown will serve a suspension and SMU men's basketball is banned from the postseason for a lack of head coach control.

"Southern Methodist University committed multiple violations, including academic fraud, unethical conduct and head coach control in the men's basketball program and recruiting and unethical conduct in the men's golf program, according to a decision issued by a Division I Committee on Infractions panel. As a result, the former head men's golf coach, the former compliance director and a former men's basketball administrative assistant violated NCAA's unethical conduct rules," the NCAA said in a statement Tuesday.

"Additionally, the head men's basketball coach failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance when he did not report violations and was not initially truthful during an interview with NCAA enforcement staff. Penalties in this case include three years of probation; a postseason ban for the men's basketball and golf teams; scholarship reductions; recruiting restrictions; a vacation of certain men's basketball wins; the disassociation of a booster; and a suspension of 30 percent of the men's basketball season for the head coach."

The NCAA ruled the 75-year-old Brown, who met with the infractions committee in June, and ex-assistant coach Ulric Maligi helped Keith Frazier attain eligibility at SMU. Maligi left the program last season and did not return.

Brown is likely to be suspended 10 games.

SMU won't play in the 2016 postseason and will be hit with a scholarship reduction of up to nine over the next three years.