The University of North Carolina is challenging the NCAA’s jurisdiction to pursue charges in the school’s long-running academic fraud scandal and is holding off on self-imposed penalties. The school on Tuesday publicly released its response to five potentially top-level NCAA charges, which include lack of institutional control. UNC acknowledged problems tied to irregular courses in an Afro-American Studies department popular with athletes on the Chapel Hill campus, but it argued that its accreditation agency — not the NCAA — was the proper authority to handle such a matter. The school also said some charges were invalid because of an expired four-year statute of limitations, while arguing that it disagreed with the institutional-control charge. The response is the latest procedural step that ultimately will lead to a hearing with an infractions committee panel.
NCAA adds to Missouri ban
The NCAA accepted Missouri’s self-imposed sanctions over infractions involving its men’s basketball program, but tacked on a year of probation though August of next year. Missouri admitted to NCAA violations dating to 2011 and announced in January that it voluntarily was vacating its 23 wins from 2013-14. The school also banned itself from the postseason last season and stripped itself of two scholarships. The school agreed to pay a $5,000 fine and permanently banned one unidentified donor who the NCAA said provided impermissible benefits to three players and one recruit in 2013-14.
Baseball
Puig is sent to minors
Yasiel Puig’s up-and-down career took another turn when the Dodgers sent the outfielder to the minors a day after they couldn’t move him before the non-waiver trade deadline. The team told Puig not to come to Dodger Stadium on Monday ahead of the team’s trip to Colorado for a series against the Rockies. Puig complied, and now he has 72 hours to report to the minors . . . Royals reliever Luke Hochevar had season-ending neck surgery to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome. The procedure included a scalenectomy, which repairs a muscle in the front of the neck. Hochevar, a 32-year-old righthander who missed all of 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, will need six months to recover . . . The Braves placed ace Julio Teheran on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right lat muscle. He was originally injured during a four-inning start July 22 at Colorado. The two-time All-Star is on the DL for the first time in his six-year career . . . Rockies rookie shortstop Trevor Story, who has hit a league-leading 27 homers and was batting .272 with 72 RBIs, could miss the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his left thumb. He suffered the injury Saturday in a win over the Mets, putting a damper on his record-setting season . . . Detroit pitcher Drake Britton was banned 50 games following a positive test for amphetamine under baseball’s minor league program and St. Louis second baseman Luke Doyle was suspended 100 games for refusing to take a test. Britton, a 27-year-old lefthander, made 25 relief appearances for the Red Sox in 2013 and ’14 . . . The AL Central-leading Indians placed All-Star pitcher Danny Salazar (11-4) on the 15-day disabled list because of right elbow inflammation.
NBA
Bucks re-sign C Plumlee
The Milwaukee Bucks re-signed restricted free agent center Miles Plumlee, making official a four-year, $52 million pact the team agreed to last month. The 6-foot-11-inch Plumlee averaged 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 61 games in 2015-16, his fourth season in the league and first full year in Milwaukee . . . The San Antonio Spurs signed two-time All-Star David Lee to an undisclosed deal. Lee has averaged 14.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists over an 11-year career. The 33-year-old forward/center finished last season with the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 8.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, after making 30 appearances with the Celtics before being waived Feb. 19.
MiscellanyEarnhardt out 2 more races
NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. will miss at least two more races while he recovers from a concussion. Earnhardt, who skipped the last three races, will sit out at Watkins Glen International on Sunday and at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 20. Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon will replace Earnhardt behind the wheel in the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports . . . A 21-year-old Buffalo woman has filed a civil suit against Sabres forward Evander Kane, saying he seriously injured her in the hotel room where he lives, causing cuts and bleeding that required multiple surgeries. Kane had been cleared in March of any criminal charges after authorities investigated the Dec. 27 encounter initially described as a possible sexual assault . . . The Las Vegas expansion NHL team hired Kelly McCrimmon, 55, widely respected in hockey as a brilliant evaluator of junor level talent, as its assistant general manager . . . The US Tennis Association unveiled the new retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The roof, part of a $500 million renovation, will be ready when the US Open begins Aug. 29.
