Less than a week before the first practice of Louisville’s new basketball season, two starters were arrested for disorderly conduct and spent Saturday night in a southern Indiana jail.
Forward Terrence Jennings and guard Jerry Smith face misdemeanor charges after getting involved in a fight after an alumni homecoming party at Kye’s in Jeffersonville, Ind., according to reports by WHAS11.com and the Louisville Courier Journal.
Louisville spokesman Kenny Klein told the Courier Journal that both players were released from the Clark County jail on Sunday morning.
Klein was not immediately available for comment Sunday night.
“We are aware of the matter and it will be handled internally,” Louisville coach Rick Pitino said in a statement.
WHAS quoted “internet reports” indicating Jennings had been involved in a fight at Kye’s and that Smith intervened while officers tried to break up the fight.
Both players ended up in handcuffs.
“It kind of sucks to hear around this time right before basketball season because these are two real important players to us, somebody I looked forward to seeing play this year, but stuff happens,” Louisville student David Feldhaus told WHAS.
There was no immediate word on a school-imposed punishment on the two players.
Smith is a 6-foot-2 senior started who started 35 games last season and averaged 7.8 points and 2.1 rebounds.
Jennings is a 6-foot-10 sophomore who averaged 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds last year.
(Photo courtesy WHAS11.com)
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JessieWildcat / October 12, 2009
Rickie Rickie… what is going on?
So, how long will Pitino suspended the two players?
Remember that Kansas Gangster U did not suspend anyone in the FIGHTs fiasco. But, Morningdrunk was suspened for the fall semester, drinking issue.
This is the third such “event” which is becoming more common.
The initial event transpired at Kentucky.
At a party celebration- there was a major fight, weapon was pulled out….
Kentucky police made no investigation or arrests…
Yes, it was LIKE…it never happened in Kentucky.
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jhawk4 / October 12, 2009
Louisville has had one of the worst offseasons imaginable. This makes what happened at KU look like nothing.
Jessie- The reason nobody from KU was suspended from the fights is because what happened is so vague (as we can tell from all of your insightful videos) and no criminal charges were handed out, so they kept the punishments in house.
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RockChalkWoody / October 12, 2009
At least none of these programs had to offer a Head Coaching job to 6 guys before they could find somebody willing to do it.
Jessie, are you working on the Louisville players video yet?
Amazingingly, UA has never had any problems…ever. Nothing like a former coach going MIA, sending out questionable letters in clear violation of NCAA rules, etc.
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JackaLope / October 12, 2009
the Louisville Courier Journal is now reporting the arrests took place in Indiana, just across the river from KY. Whatever happened, it was bad enough for one of them to get tased.
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091011/SPORTS02/910110352
And for the record I am no Jayhawk fan, but this is worse than a spat between KU bball and fball players. Louisville has had a horrible offseason, Pimpino’s trial is still looming, and in less than a month before the first game, two players are charged with resisting arrest, and Jennings was actually tasered. And all Pimpino has to say is the situation will be handled internally.
I dont see Pimpino staying at UL much longer, and when he leaves he have left the program in shambles.
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PaulSmenis / October 12, 2009
Wow Woody, you really enjoy picking on someone who isn’t all there. Classy.
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Big Ben / October 12, 2009
This would never happen if Lute Olson was still alive.
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RockChalkWoody / October 13, 2009
I’m still surprised that after the 5th coach turned them down they didn’t reach out to the little Minotaur, Josh Pastner. That guy is the Rudy Ruettiger of college hoops.
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JessieWildcat / October 13, 2009
Bennie,
Ever hear of the saying, A player is a reflection of the coach.
This may apply to ON and OFF conduct.
(Should the parents of the Louiv. players be concerned…)
With the arrest of these two players, Pitino is in a LOSE-LOSE situation.
Can Pitino suspend the players?
Pitino was not suspended for violating the Univ. code of conduct.- morale clauses.
The right thing to do is to suspend the players.
So this leads us to Kansass Gangster U.
Is the Fighting a reflection of Lew and BS character?
The fighting has been going on for years.
And LEW has decided NOT to suspend the players.
A PLAYER is a REFLECTION of the COACH.
“CHARACTER COUNTS” tm
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jhawk4 / October 13, 2009
could you please point to some evidence there has been any fighting in the past between the 2 programs?
maybe you have some video of all these years of fighting in your extensive video collection.
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Big Ben / October 13, 2009
So when the UA players were robbing hotels in Lawrence, KS that was a reflection of Lute?
Interesting…
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RockChalkWoody / October 13, 2009
Jessie, can you show us the video from Hotel security showing the UA players ripping off the 80 candy bars?
Since you believe that a player is a reflection of the coach I guess we can assume Lute had a real sweet tooth.
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