Redhawks' leading scorer suspended indefinitely

~ Brandon Foust has been prohibited from campus after altercation in dorm.

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team began practice Friday night without its leading scorer.

Brandon Foust, a 6-foot-6 senior forward, will not be with the Redhawks for an indefinite period of time, coach Scott Edgar said Friday prior to the opening workout.

"With respect to Brandon and with utmost respect to the university, Brandon will be suspended indefinitely from basketball activities," said Edgar, who added that he would have no further comment.

Sources have told the Southeast Missourian that a recent altercation in a campus dormitory has resulted in Foust being prohibited from campus and school-related activities.

Sources said that Foust is awaiting completion of the university's judicial process on Wednesday, when it will be determined if he will be allowed to re-enter the university and continue playing basketball.

Foust also may face charges from the Cape Girardeau city attorney's office. He received a court summons from the university's Department of Public Safety for the incident with a November court date. City prosecutor Reagan Holliday said she had not yet reviewed a report from DPS to determine if charges would be filed nor could she confirm that her office had received it since the court date was not for another month.

DPS responded to a call about an alleged assault in a residence hall at the university at 2:20 a.m. Oct. 5, said DPS director Doug Richards. He said after an investigation was concluded, a court summons for misdemeanor assault was issued to Foust, the only person who has received a summons in the case so far.

Richards said the incident included all male subjects and took place in a commons area and the elevators.

Foust transferred from Oklahoma in 2005 and had to sit out a season of basketball under NCAA transfer rules. The university, when announcing Foust's enrollment, also disclosed that in July 2005, Foust pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree felony charge of burglary in Columbus, Ohio. He received two years of probation, which ended about three months ago.

Foust played his first season with the Redhawks last year and led them in scoring with an average of 12.1 points per game. He was second in rebounding at 5.6 per contest.

A member of the Ohio Valley Conference all-newcomer team last year, Foust was earlier this week selected to the 10-player preseason all-OVC squad.

Southeast went 11-20 overall and a sixth-place 9-11 in the OVC last year during Edgar's first season. The Redhawks were picked fifth in the league preseason poll earlier this week.

The Redhawks play their first exhibition game Nov. 1 against Division II Lincoln. The regular season begins Nov. 10 at Xavier.