An N-C-A-A panel looking at reforms in college basketball may recomendfreshmen be declared ineligible. Freshmen have been eligible in basketballand other N-C-A-A sports since 1972 but in light of an increase in thenumber of underclassmen declaring for the N-B-A the issue has picked upmomentum. Iowa State athletic director Gene Smith is a member of thecommittee and says any recomendation from the panel would be debated byindiviual institutions and then the conferences.Smith says any move to make freshmen ineligible would mandate that thenumber of scholarships in men’s basketball be increased.Smith says more than the numbers opting for the N-B-A, the reason such amove might be made is due to the increased numbers of student-athletestransferring from one school to another.Iowa athletic director Bob Bowlsby says he is undecided on the issue.Bowlsby says it is just one of several recomendations that could come out ofthe committee and he’ll withold judgement until he sees the whole package.Northern Iowa coach Sam Weaver says while there are plenty of freshmen whocan have an immediate impact on college basketball programs there are alarge number that would benefit more from having a year to acclimate toschool.Weaver says an increase in scholarships would be needed.
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