ESPN Tour by U-Conn. Recruit Raises Questions

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut has responded to NCAA concerns that its women's basketball office helped arrange a private tour of Bristol-based ESPN for then-top recruit Maya Moore.

The tour, which might have violated NCAA rules because it may be considered a benefit not available to all UConn students, took place in October 2005 and included Moore and her mother, Kathryn.

UConn declined Wednesday to say whether the school self-reported the incident or whether the NCAA considered it a violation and offered a brief statement.

"The institution has worked with the NCAA on the matter and the association has taken no action," the school said.

Stacey Osburn, a spokeswoman for the NCAA said the organization does not comment on current, pending or potential investigations. Osburn said the NCAA has two categories for violations -- major and secondary. A secondary violation is one that is inadvertent in nature or doesn't represent a "significant competitive advantage."

Penalties for a secondary violation are those that usually match the value of the violation, Osburn said. She cited the example of someone buying a student-athlete a meal, which would be considered an extra benefit. The athlete would have to repay the value of the meal, she said.

ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz confirmed that the network set up the tour for Moore and her mother after being contacted by a member of the UConn women's basketball office. The Storrs campus is about an hour drive from the Bristol studios.

Because of the questions raised over the tour, ESPN has changed its policy on how tours are arranged, Krulewitz said.

"To avoid any concern in the future, our tour policy will prohibit high school athletes from receiving tours at the request of a college or university athletic officials," Krulewitz said.

At the time of the tour Moore, the two-time national high school player of the year from Georgia, was courted by several high-profile programs, including UConn rival Tennessee.

She eventually signed with UConn and starred this season as a freshman, leading the top-ranked Huskies to their 14th Big East tournament title and was selected the conference player of the year -- a first for a freshman. The 6-foot forward scored in double figures in all 30 of UConn's regular-season games.

Citing unidentified sources, ESPN reported Wednesday the NCAA began looking into the tour after fielding a complaint from the Southeastern Conference over concerns raised by Tennessee. SEC spokeswoman Tammy Wilson and Lady Vols spokeswoman Debby Jennings declined to comment Wednesday.

Tennessee last summer canceled the long-standing series with UConn that began in 1995. Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt has said other rivalries will have a chance to develop in the women's game.

"I haven't had the feeling that the whole nation's going to miss it," Summitt told The Associated Press a few weeks after canceling the series. "I think Tennessee fans and Connecticut fans and a lot of basketball fans look forward to that game because of the rivalry and the length of it and the type of competitive games we've had over the years."

The games against the Huskies have always drawn national television exposure and featured some of the nation's best players, such as Rebecca Lobo, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi for Connecticut and Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and Nikki McCray for Tennessee.

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Associated Press Writer Beth Rucker in Knoxville, Tenn., contributed to this report.