I never heard the full story as to why the NCAA is holding him out, but it would be a nice shot in the arm to get Gonzalez cleared to play. He's a wide body and supposed to be a decent rebounder. We can use all the help we can get in that department.

SMU won the game with offensive rebounding and we are terrible at rebounding in all aspects but I would have to consider whether to bring Gonzo in this year or not. If he was willing to come back next year for two more years, I might consider a red shirt year!! This year is almost half way over, and he probably couldn't do enough the rest of the year to salvage it!! I probably would prefer he started next year with two full years to play. If Cardwell keeps improving, he and Gonzo could make a heck of a front line with Price getting about equal minutes as those two next year !! If somehow we manage to lose this game tonight, I would start doing everything to prepare for next year, including cutting a few minutes from Parker!!!

Gonzales was one of over 200 foreign players signed by D-1 schools whose background was being checked this year. Some of the investigations have been completed and players either cleared or declared ineligible for the year. There was a big sports story a few weeks ago when a major signee for one of the SEC schools (Florida or Georgia I think) was declared ineligible for this year. In past seasons there was some leeway in how long a suspension would be for inappropriate play or paperwork overseas with a minimum of 8 games, that was changed this year so that any violation, no matter how minor, that required a suspension would get a 28 game suspension, in other words ineligibility for an entire year.

I don't know whether Gonzales will be cleared or declared ineligible for this year but at this point I agree with jfisher, even if he was cleared it would probably be better for the school to redshirt him, let him practice until next year, and then have two years to play. I get really upset when I read posts on Rivals or other boards declaring doom and gloom for the Tulsa program. They always seem to say "we have to win this next game or it's all over" or "we have to salvage this season or it's all over". Neither one is correct. I would rather have the coaching staff work to get our players more experience and have good to great teams the next two or three years rather than look at only the present and hurt future chances. Without regard to what happens this year our players will gain experience and be better for it. If we miss post season this year I won't like it but it won't be the end of the world. There are lots of D-1 schools that haven't seen post season play in a long time if at all. Overall I would rather have a miss post season this year and have a competative team next year than sacrifice everything to make a PS tournament this year only to get blown our by a high seed.

I agree up to a point. If we found out before next week's games that Gonzalez was eligible, I say we play him. That would leave 14 conference games, plus the conference tourney, where he might make a difference in the one area that has hurt us big-time all season. There would still be a lot to play for this year.

But past that, you guys are right, we should RS him.

I agree NN, one bad year isn't the end of the world and we have a lot of guys that need some experience. I don't see this year as the downfall forever of the Tulsa basketball program, but two losing seasons in a row sure wouldn't help our recruiting or national reputation. Teams like Tulsa can't afford to drop off the national radar for very long or it really will be like starting all over again!!!

jfisher Wrote:I agree NN, one bad year isn't the end of the world and we have a lot of guys that need some experience. I don't see this year as the downfall forever of the Tulsa basketball program, but two losing seasons in a row sure wouldn't help our recruiting or national reputation. Teams like Tulsa can't afford to drop off the national radar for very long or it really will be like starting all over again!!!

actually, i'm not ready to call this a bad year yet. just as texas state lit the fire for the football team, so can boise for basketball. we're missing a few pieces and we don't have swanson's speed, but these guys can pull together and make a season out of it.

gonzo should redshirt.