College basketball teams no longer are restricted to playing in just two exempt tournaments in a four-year period.

U.S. district judge Edmund Sargus Jr., of Ohio, Monday granted a set of promoters’ requests for a permanent injunction to remove the NCAA’s “2-in-4 restriction,” meaning Kansas University’s men’s team will be able to participate in the Guardians Classic Tournament this November at Allen Fieldhouse and Kemper Arena.

The plaintiffs in the case, including the Gazelle Group, which sponsors the 16-team Guardians Classic, commenced action against the NCAA Dec. 21, 2000, alleging the NCAA’s enforcement of the “2-in-4” restriction was a violation of Sections One and Two of the Sherman Act.

In his opinion and order granting the plaintiff’s request, Sargus said the NCAA’s restrictions violated federal antitrust laws.

“The NCAA is hereby permanently enjoined from enforcing the ‘2-in-4 rule,'” Sargus said.

Based upon the judge’s ruling, teams like KU again are eligible to participate in one certified or “exempt” tournament annually, just as they were prior to the imposition of the restriction.

KU will be able to play in tournaments like the Maui Classic, Rainbow Classic, Great Alaska Shootout, Preseason NIT, San Juan Shootout and others every year instead of just two every four years.

“I had a call from Rick Giles (of Gazelle Group and Guardians Classic) and he was ecstatic, bouncing off the walls because they won this ruling on exempt events,” KU senior associate athletic director Richard Konzem said Monday night.

“He was calling all the schools, and we agreed we’d talk and sort out this situation for us in regards to the Guardians Classic.”

What is known is KU will be one of four teams playing host to four-team Guardians Classic regional tournaments Nov. 17-18. Winners of the four regionals advance to the tourney semifinals and finals Nov. 24-25 in Kansas City’s Kemper Arena.

KU, Southwest Missouri State and South Carolina have been named host schools for four-team regionals with Arizona a possibility for the fourth slot.

As for future exempt tournaments (teams can play as many as four games in an exempt tourney, counting as one game on the schedule), KU has contracted to play in the Maui Invitational in November 2005 and the Preseason NIT in November 2007. KU is free to play in additional tourneys in the 2004-05 season and 2006-07.

It is not known yet whether the NCAA will appeal.

“The NCAA thinks the ruling is wrong and it seems that the association through its legislative processes should regulate the season rather than the promoters of exempt contests,” NCAA spokesman Jeff Howard said.

“It’s unfortunate that the decision came at such a late date with much of the scheduling already in place for this season.”

KU coach Bill Self told the Journal-World Monday night he was pleased to hear KU would be playing in the Guardians Classic and allowed to play in one exempt tourney per season.

The ruling means the date of the KU-Michigan State game must be switched from Nov. 25 to sometime in December. It will be played at Allen Fieldhouse.

“A lot of times teams don’t become teams until they play in those kind of games, to see where they are and what weaknesses can be identified,” Self said of exempt tourney games. “It’s good for low to mid majors to play high majors on a neutral court. It’s good for them in terms of exposure, good for all teams in terms of getting to play in an early-season tournament.”

— The Associated Press contributed to this report