By Josh Cook
The University of Louisville men's basketball team has taken a double hit.
Friday UofL announced that neither former Memphis guard Roburt Sallie nor 2010 signee Justin Coleman will be eligible to play for the Cardinals in the 2010-11 season.
According to the announcement Sallie, who had signed a financial aid agreement with UofL in June, won't play "due to the timing requirements of meeting the matriculation deadline for graduate school."
"We are disappointed for both Roburt and our program that he could not meet our admission requirements in time," said Cards coach Rick Pitino, who hasn't had the best of summers. "We wish him the best in finding an avenue to reach his goals."
Sallie, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard/small forward, averaged 10.5 points and four rebounds in his last two seasons at Memphis. He was trying to take advantage of a little-used, or known about, NCAA rule intended to help student-athletes pick directions of graduate studies. Sallie would've been immediately eligible to play if he would have met requirements.
Meanwhile Coleman did not meet NCAA freshman admission requirements. The 6-5 small forward averaged 20.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a senior at Huntington (W.V.) Prep.
Without either Sallie or Coleman it likely means that UofL's starting frontcourt for its Nov. 16 season-opener against Butler at new KFC Yum! Center will either be Terrence Jennings, Jared Swopshire and Kyle Kuric or Jennings, Rakeem Buckles and Swopshire.
The Cards' starting backcourt for that first game will likely be Preston Knowles and Peyton Siva.
It was also learned Thursday that UofL will host archrival Kentucky at noon Dec. 31 at the KFC Yum! Center.
Photo courtesy UofL Sports.com
