Indianapolis — Missouri's basketball team was placed on three years' probation Wednesday for NCAA recruiting violations, but avoided a ban on postseason play.
The infractions committee took away one scholarship next year and two in 2006-07 and limited all basketball coaches to recruiting on campus until November 2005.
"We felt the off-campus ban would be a significant statement on the violations and removes the criticism of punishing current student-athletes," committee chairman Thomas Yeager said in a conference call.
The penalty prevents coaches from visiting high schools, making home visits, attending summer camps and even giving speeches at high-school awards banquets. Yeager said the ban had not been imposed since 1990, when Illinois' basketball team was punished.
Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton said the school would not appeal.
Coach Quin Snyder said he hoped the Tigers still would be competitive in recruiting because of the school's new $75 million arena.
"I still think we're going to be able to be successful in recruiting," he said. "We just need to get people to come to Columbia and see it."
The committee found MU violated recruiting rules from 1999 to 2003 and rejected the school's explanation that most of the violations were inadvertent.
"The men's basketball staff had the benefit of extensive rules education and compliance procedures," the committee said in its report. "Nevertheless, the men's basketball staff took risks and pushed the limits with respect to recruiting legislation, particularly while recruiting top prospects."
The case came to light when former point guard Ricky Clemons accused former assistant coach Tony Harvey of paying him $250.
Harvey later resigned.
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