Sanctions decision remains on hold for UH basketball team

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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM

Hawaii guard Noah Allen made one last round in the Stan Sheriff Center after the Rainbow Warriors’ 64-58 overtime win against the Cal State Fullerton Titans on Saturday.

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If the NCAA is to weigh in with finality on the University of Hawaii basketball team’s postseason fate in 2016-17, that time is now.

Time is running out on the Rainbow Warriors’ season. The Big West tournament starts March 9 in Anaheim, Calif., but to this point UH has only the NCAA’s mixed messages to go on whether their postseason ban remains in place.

The prolonged limbo extended through its entire home schedule; UH wrapped up play at the Stan Sheriff Center with a 64-58 overtime win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday night. The ’Bows’ sixth win in eight games moved them into a tie for third in the conference at 8-6 (14-13 overall).

UH now prepares for road games at UC Davis (18-11, 10-4) on Thursday and Long Beach State (13-18, 8-7) on Saturday. As of the weekend, the team didn’t know whether to prepare for an extended mainland stay.

However, on senior night in the Sheriff, there were rumblings of an impending resolution of UH’s appeal of its sanctions.

Big West commissioner Dennis Farrell has told conference members to assume that Hawaii will be eligible, but that the LBSU game serves as a deadline for UH.

UH athletic director David Matlin has hoped for a resolution for months, but still had none Sunday.

“About all I can say is that the deadline for us to know about postseason is Saturday after the regular season is over,” Matlin messaged the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “The Big West needs to know by then so they can make brackets and stage this championship event. The Big West has accommodated this situation in a very professional manner. We appreciate them advocating on our behalf.”

The NCAA’s Infractions Appeals Committee ruled in UH’s favor on Oct. 28, kicking a final decision back to the Committee on Infractions with a mandate to use a “less stringent” penalty structure.

No word has come down since. Meanwhile, UH has exceeded preseason expectations and stands two games out of first.

Farrell and Matlin have said that if no decision is made by tournament time and the appeal is still up in the air, UH could have the option of playing in the eight-team event at the Honda Center. But UH is not in favor of that, as it would mean its ban could be forwarded to the 2017-18 season.