Hawkeyes suspend Minnetonka standout Tucker indefinitely

Anthony Tucker's AAU coach said Iowa's leading scorer had an alcohol-related violation.

By MYRON P. MEDCALF, Star Tribune

Last update: December 8, 2008 - 12:32 AM

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Iowa freshman men's basketball player Anthony Tucker, last season's Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year, was suspended indefinitely by coach Todd Lickliter on Sunday for a violation of team rules that occurred Saturday, said Steve Roe, a team spokesman.

The university did not specify the reason for the suspension, but Gameli Ahelegbe, a coach with 43 Hoops -- Tucker's AAU team -- said the violation was alcohol-related.

The 6-4 Tucker leads the Hawkeyes (7-2) in scoring with 13.1 points per game. He led Minnetonka to last season's Class 4A championship, and he is the Skippers' career scoring leader with 1,908 points in four years of varsity play.

Roe said Lickliter probably will say more about the suspension today during his weekly news conference.

The Des Moines Register reported Sunday that Tucker's name didn't show up on the Iowa City or university police logs Sunday morning.

Minnetonka coach John Hedstrom said Sunday that he spoke to Tucker on Friday. Other than a recent illness and typical stress from upcoming finals, things were going well for the freshman.

"Everything was going great," Hedstrom said. "My gut is telling me that this is obviously not good."

Chris Carr, a former Timberwolves guard and head of 43 Hoops, said Tucker was upset about a "mistake" he made Saturday. "College basketball is a money business, and you're under a very intense microscope, so you don't have the luxury of making any wrong decisions," he said. "I do worry about him."

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