COLUMBUS, OHIO ? A federal judge said it’s too soon to determine whether the NCAA’s rules restricting participation in certain nonconference basketball tournaments violate federal antitrust laws.

U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus Jr. denied a request by a group of tournament promoters and organizers for a preliminary injunction that would have blocked the NCAA restriction limiting schools to two such tournaments in four years.

Sargus ruled that because the NCAA limitation has been in effect only two years, its impact can’t be fully assessed.

The suit was brought by Cincinnati-based Worldwide Basketball, Sports Tours Inc., Dorna Sports Promotions, LLC and the Gazelle Group.

They said that if high-profile teams such as Duke, Kansas and Arizona can play only two such events in a four-year period, then spots in tournaments must be filled by teams that attract less fan interest.

The NCAA has denied claims by the tournament organizers that it’s trying to eliminate those events and shift more revenues to the NCAA and its member schools.