SOUTHEAST PLAYS A WAITING GAME AFTER NCAA MEETING

It's strictly a waiting game now for Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball program, which expects in a few weeks to learn of its fate from the NCAA.

A group of Southeast officials met with the NCAA Infractions Committee in Florida on Saturday. Southeast interim athletic director Carroll Williams said now the university's work regarding the NCAA investigation is over.

"We've been there, we've had the hearing and now we wait," said Williams, who cannot comment specifically on what transpired when Southeast's group met in front of the NCAA infractions and enforcement committees. "There's nothing more for us to do until the NCAA notifies us (of its ruling)."

And that, said Williams, could take two to three weeks or perhaps even longer, meaning there is no guarantee the school will have learned anything prior to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament that begins Feb. 24.

"When we'll find out, that's purely up to them (the NCAA)," Williams said. "It's a possibility we won't know anything (before the OVC tourney)."

Asked if he had a gut feeling regarding how things went in Florida, Williams said, "Not really. You really don't have anything to base it on. It's hard to tell."

Southeast faces sanctions for alleged violations -- some of them major -- committed by the staff of former head men's basketball coach Ron Shumate, who was fired last May. Shumate, along with his lawyer, attended Saturday's hearing.

Joining Williams in attending the hearing from Southeast were: president Dale Nitzschke; executive vice president Ken Dobbins; Board of Regents president Donald Dickerson; NCAA faculty representative Joe Low; assistant athletic director in charge of compliance Alicia Scott; and current head men's basketball coach Gary Garner.

OVC commissioner Dan Beebe also attended.

Garner, who was not at Southeast when any of the alleged violations took place, stayed for only about half the hearing. He was allowed to leave in order to return to Cape Girardeau for Saturday night's game against Eastern Kentucky.

"I'm really glad I had the opportunity to attend at least a portion of the meeting," Garner said. "I had never been to anything like that before and it was a great learning experience."