The NCAA has declared Arizona Wildcat basketball player Allonzo Trier ineligible.
Arizona Athletics released the following statement:
Earlier today, the University of Arizona was notified that the NCAA has declared Allonzo Trier ineligible. In late January 2018, Allonzo participated in an NCAA student-athlete drug screening. The results of that test, confirmed today, revealed the reappearance of a trace amount of a banned substance. The amount detected was miniscule by scientific standards and appears to be a remnant of a substance, which the NCAA agreed, Allonzo had unknowingly ingested in 2016. The University is appealing the decision and is hopeful that Allonzo will regain his eligibility soon.
The University of Arizona will be appealing the decision made by the NCAA.
Trier is Arizona's number two scorer and leads the team in minutes played. He is averaging 19.6 points per game. He was suspended for 19 games at the beginning of last season and returned in February against UCLA in 2017. He was unable to return until all trace amounts of the banned substance were gone.
This is the latest hit in what has been a turbulent year for Arizona basketball. In September, news broke of the FBI's investigation into fraud and bribery, with assistant coach Emmanuel "Book" Richardson being arrested for his involvement. Richardson was effectively fired from the UA.
Sophomore Dylan Smith was suspended for one game for a violation of team rules. Senior Keanu Pinder and assistant coach Mark Phelps were suspended for one game for a violation of NCAA rules.
Arizona also lost 3 consecutive games early on in the season in the Battle 4 Atlantis road trip over Thanksgiving weekend. The losing streak knocked the Wildcats from the 2nd ranked team in the country, to out of the rankings altogether. Only the 2nd time in history a team has gone from No. 2, to unranked.
The NCAA will likely take its time on Arizona's appeal, and with only three games remaining, the clock is ticking on Arizona.
Allonzo Trier's mom released the following statement to ESPN:
Marcie Trier's statement to ESPN on her son, Allonzo's, suspension by the NCAA: pic.twitter.com/IyNUdZdq93
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) February 23, 2018
