MORGANTOWN (AP) — The NCAA has benched West Virginia freshman forward Deniz Kilicli for the first 20 games of the season after determining he violated an amateurism rule.
West Virginia said Friday that the NCAA determined Kilicli played on a Turkish team during the 2007-08 season that included a professional player, which isn’t allowed under NCAA rules.
A 6-foot-9 forward from Istanbul, Turkey, Kilicli attended Mountain State Academy in Beckley in 2008-09 and was ranked as the 15th-best forward and the 44th-best recruit in the 2009 class by ESPN.com.
Coach Bob Huggins declined to comment on the NCAA ruling.
No. 8 West Virginia opens exhibition play on Nov. 8 against Mountain State.
