T.J. Cummings has been ruled academically ineligible for the
2003 fall quarter, meaning the UCLA senior forward will miss at
least the first three regular season games.
“We expect our players to excel both in the classroom and
on the basketball court,” Bruin head coach Ben Howland said
in a statement.
“T.J. knows what he has to do in the classroom to be
eligible to play on the court. As a staff and team, we will support
T.J. in his academic pursuits.”
Last season, Cummings averaged 10.3 points per game and 4.9
rebounds in 29 games.
The three games Cummings will miss are the season opener against
Vermont, a home game against UC Riverside and the Wooden Tradition
against Kentucky.
Cummings will also miss two exhibition games against the EA
Sports All-Stars and the Southern California All-Stars.
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Bruin Andre Patterson is trying to transfer to the University of
Tennessee.
Patterson and Cummings are the two Bruins to be disciplined for
academic reasons this off-season.
Patterson was first, and was dismissed from the school in April
for academic reasons.
Patterson likely will not be back at UCLA at all. Reports
indicate that he has not enrolled in summer school and that he is
trying to transfer to the University of Tennessee.
“That’s what I want to do and hope it’s going
to happen,” Patterson told the Tennessean.
Patterson toured the Tennessee campus last week and met with
coaches and school officials.
The Tennessee admissions office is waiting for his official
transcript. Being admitted to the university is the only roadblock
for Patterson in his transfer quest.
Patterson also had academic problems prior to this year. He had
to miss all of the games in the fall quarter of 2002 because he was
taking classes at Santa Monica City College to restore his NCAA
eligibility.
Patterson averaged 7.8 points over 24 games for the Bruins last
season, in addition to 5.5 rebounds per game.
The 2003-2004 season begins with a Nov. 12 exhibition game
against the EA Sports All-Stars, who beat UCLA last season.
The Bruins’ first regular season game is on Nov. 29 at
home against Vermont.