[size=+1]Pierce kicked off U of I basketball team[/size]
by O. Kay Henderson
The University of Iowa men's basketball player who's being investigated for an altercation with a female friend in West Des Moines is now off the team, for good. In a prepared statement issued by the University, Hawkeye head coach Steve Alford said Pierre Pierce had "betrayed the trust (the university) placed in him when he was given a second chance two years ago." As you may recall, Pierce pled guilty to assaulting a woman in Iowa City. He sat out of competition for a year, but kept his scholarship. Now, he's off the team for good, but there's no mention in the university's statement of Pierce's scholarship status. Pierce, who is 21 years old and a junior, was Iowa's leading scorer this season. In the prepared statement, Alford called Pierce an "excellent basketball player who will be missed...but given the circumstances," Alford said he felt kicking Pierce off the team was the only appropriate response. Alford is declining all interview requests.
