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Baylor fallout results in NCAA transfer changes WACO, TEXAS (AP) - Baylor basketball players who transfer because of the school’s self-im posed probation will be exempt from an NCAA.rule that they sit out a year, NCAA officials ruled Wednesday. ’’The waivers have been grant ed,” said Jeff Howard, NCAA di rector of public relations. “’The transfers will not have to sit out.” Baylor President Robert Sloan Jr. offered all players a re lease from their scholarships on Aug. 8, when he announced ma jor violations had been found in the basketball program. He asked the NCAA to waive its rule that players transferring within NCAA Division I schools sit out one year before being eli gible. Although the NCAA has waived its rule, individual con ference rules still apply, Howard said. The Big 12 Conference requires players transferring within the league to sit out a year. Baylor ju nior forward Kenny Taylor said Tuesday that he will transfer to Texas. It was not immediately clear if the Big 12 would consider transfer waivers for Baylor play ers. Calls by The Associated Press to Big 12 officials Wednesday night were not immediately re turned. The ruling was made by a five person subcommittee of the NCAA’s Management Council called the Administrative Review Subcommittee. Howard was unsure if the NCAA had ever granted such a blanket ruling about transfer waivers. "I can’t say for sure that this has never happened,” he said. "But this was definitely a very un usual circumstance. ” Lawrence Roberts, Baylor’s top scorer and rebounder last season, said Monday he will transfer to Mississippi State. I Junior guard John Lucas III has also requested his release, as have sophomore forward Tommy Swanson and junior college trans fer Harvey Thomas. Lucas has said losing a year of eligibility would be a deterrent to transferring. Baylor recruit Tyrone Nelson, a center, enrolled at Prairie View A&M last week. The school launched an inter nal inquiry into possible NCAA violations in July, after allega tions surfaced of improper pay ments to players following the dis appearance of junior Patrick Dennehy. Coach Dave Bliss and athletic director Tom Stanton resigned Aug. 8. The school then placed itself on a two-year probation and won’t participate in any postsea son tournaments next season, in cluding the Big 12 tournament. All player were offered a release from their scholarships, allow ing them to transfer to other schools. Howard said the university presents the facts to NCAA and then the facts are reviewed by staff and committees before a rul ing is made. Dennehy’s body was found in a field near Waco on July 25, four days after teammate Carlton Dotson was charged with murder. An autopsy report showed Dennehy died of two gunshot wounds to the head. Carlton remains in a jail in his home state of Maryland as prose cutors work to extradite him to Texas. _I ■ LfMr low cholesterol** ["j ^ LOW CARBS-LOW FAT BY MICHAEL MAROT ASSOCIATED PRESS INDIANAPOLIS - Reggie Miller signed a new multiyear contract with the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, keeping the fran chise’s all-time leading scorer from leaving the city where he has played his entire NBA ca reer. “I wanted to be loyal to myself, the franchise and the fans by fin ishing my career with the Pacers and pursue our goal of winning a championship,” Miller said in a statement. The Pacers did not release terms of the deal with the unre stricted free agent, and a message left with Miller’s agent, Arn Tellem, wasn’t returned. Tellem said last month that he hoped to complete a deal with the Pacers that would keep Miller in place for the rest of his career. Pacers coach Isiah Thomas said in a telephone interview from Puerto Rico there was no timetable how much longer Miller would play. “I think Reggie will try and play as long as he possibly can,” Thomas said. “Only he knows the answer to that.” Miller’s salary last season was $12 million, and he was expected to take a hefty pay cut to keep the Pacers under the luxury tax threshold. The 37-year-old Miller, who holds the NBA’s record for most 3-poiriters, bruised his right an kle bone during an exhibition game before the World Championships last summer. The injury bothered him all sea son and he averaged only 12.6 points. He’s also coming off the worst playoff series of his 16-year ca reer, averaging 9.2 points on 28 percent shooting in a six-game loss to Boston. Miller had ankle surgery on May 19 and is expected to make a complete recovery. “I think he feels rejuvenated,” Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said Wednesday. “He got the ankle fixed and he feels good about that.” Miller is the Pacers’ all-time leader in nine categories. His 23,505 career points are easily the most by any player in Pacers his tory. (Rik Smits is second with 12,871.) Thomas, who spent his entire career with the Detroit Pistons, appreciated Miller’s commitment to one team. “Anytime you have an oppor tunity to finish your career in one place and be part of an orga nization you help get off the ground is great,” Thomas said. IRciven&e*td /tfian&Hettfo 100 Riverbend Drive W. 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