Auburn Star Suspended 3 Games

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 22, 1999 / 4:31 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

Auburn scoring leader Chris Porter, who led the Tigers to 17 consecutive victories, was suspended Friday for three games.

Coach Cliff Ellis said Porter had violated team rules and would be suspended for Saturday's Alabama game, the Mississippi State game Wednesday and the Georgia game Jan. 30.

Ellis did not disclose details of the violation that led to the suspension.

Porter, a forward, is averaging a team-high 16.7 points per game. His play helped the Tigers to a 17-0 record before the winning streak ended Wednesday with a loss at Kentucky.

"It is an unfortunate situation, but there is no player above team rules and hopefully Chris will learn from this," Ellis said.

Porter failed to qualify academically for Auburn out of high school and went to Chipola (Fla.) Junior College, where he played for former Auburn assistant Carl Nash before joining the Tigers this season.