Arizona Basketball finally has closure with IARP Punishment

With the IARP case against Arizona Basketball officially wrapped up, the Wildcats can finally move on with the punishment now public.

Well, it has been a long and tumultuous five years for Arizona Basketball, especially as a dark cloud has hung over the program, but finally, after much agony and waiting, the Wildcats have closure.

Making news on Wednesday afternoon, the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP) finally announced its punishment for Arizona following several alleged violations.

And to the delight of Arizona Basketball fans everywhere, the punishment was merely a slap on the wrist.

Starting in 2023-24, the Wildcats will lose one scholarship and will have a 7-week recruiting ban during the 2022-23 season where they will not be allowed to communicate with recruits via phone or written messages.

Beyond that, the school was given a $5,000 fine, while all their wins and awards won from the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons will be vacated. This of course while also in conjunction with the self-imposed postseason ban.

Finally, after five long years, the IARP punishment brings closure to the Arizona Basketball program.

For those that have followed this program religiously as we have over the past several years, it has been tough seeing the program operate with a dark cloud looming.

As we are all aware, the program got caught up in the pay-for-play saga that rocked college basketball a little over five years ago, and since then, things have not been the same. And since then we have been waiting for the other shoe to drop.

In those long, five years, Arizona has seen several players come and go, Sean Miller is back coaching at Xavier, and former Arizona assistants Mark Phelps and Book Richardson are no longer with the program. In short, this program has undergone significant change.

Well, finally, after much anticipation, the wait is over and the minimal punishment allows the Wildcats to move on quickly, and more importantly, it gives the program closure. Overall, fans can let out a collective sigh of relief and hopefully, a soon return to normalcy.

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