ne day after University of Massachusetts men's basketball coach Steve Lappas called his team's offseason uneventful in an interview, it got eventful.

Lappas said Thursday, in a statement released by the university, that freshman forward Stephen Briggs has been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.

Briggs, a 6-foot-9, 212-pound forward from Houston, signed with the Minutemen last fall.

Lappas was guarded in his comments on the matter. He didn't say whether a specific incident occurred that warranted the suspension, but that something transpired Wednesday evening that caused the suspension to be issued. He said he was "very upset."

Lappas said there was no timetable for when Briggs would return or be evaluated. When asked if Briggs would also be suspended from practice, Lappas said "probably."

When asked whether Briggs had to fulfill any conditions before returning, Lappas said, "Can't say," and added, "We want to keep this completely internal."

Briggs was unavailable for comment.

Briggs averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds for Westlake High School in Houston. He chose UMass over several Atlantic Coast Conference schools and Texas.

The Minutemen begin practice next Saturday morning. They have exhibition games on Thursday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Nov. 16 before opening the regular season against Indiana at the Maui Invitational on Nov. 25.

Notes: Freshman guard Mike Lasme suffered a sprained ankle earlier this week but is expected to be fine for the beginning of practice. Lappas said everyone else is healthy.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.

nternet recruiting Web site Southwest Scouting.com reported Thursday that suspended University of Massachusetts freshman forward Stephen Briggs was transferring, but Minuteman men's basketball coach Steve Lappas disputed the report.

"As of right now, to the best of my knowledge, that's not true," Lappas said yesterday evening.

Lappas suspended Briggs, a 6-foot-8 freshman from Houston, indefinitely last week for violating team rules. Lappas refused to specify what rule had been broken and only that something had transpired Oct. 2 night to warrant the action.

Lappas said he has no timetable for re-evaluating the situation. At that time, Lappas said, Briggs would also be "probably" suspended from practice as well.

The Minutemen begin practice Saturday morning.

Southwest Scouting reported that other schools were already recruiting Briggs.

"Are there people trying to contact him already? There might be," Lappas said. "They shouldn't be. But I don't know if there are."

Briggs, who is originally from Berkeley, Calif., averaged 18 points and nine rebounds as a senior at Houston's Westside High School. He was just inside or just outside the top 100 players on most recruiting lists. Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Houston and Texas were all recruiting him. He signed with UMass in November after verbally committing in the fall.

If Briggs did opt to leave, he'd have to sit out this season at whatever school he chose.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.

MHERST, Mass. -- University of Massachusetts men's basketball coach Steve Lappas announced this afternoon that freshman forward Stephen Briggs (Houston, Texas) has been dismissed from the Minuteman program for a violation of team rules.

"After a careful and complete review of the facts, all parties involved thought it best that Stephen leave the team," said Lappas, whose second team begins practice for the 2002-03 season tomorrow. "This was a very difficult decision to make, but one that I thought was necessary. All of us wish him well."

According to Lappas, Briggs will withdraw from UMass and return to his hometown.

The 6-9, 212-pound Briggs averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds as a senior at Houston's Westside High School. The school's team captain and MVP a year ago, Briggs helped Westside to the 2002 district championship, and earned All-State, All-District and Regional All-Star recognition.

One of four players who signed with UMass during the 2001 early-signing period, he selected Massachusetts over Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Texas.

niversity of Massachusetts coach Steve Lappas dismissed freshman forward Stephen Briggs Friday for a violation of team rules, just a week after suspending him indefinitely.

Lappas declined to say what the violation was.

"I just thought it was in the best interest of everyone to move on in another direction. It's always tough to make a decision like this, but it was one that had to be made. We wish him the best of luck."

Briggs, who is originally from Berkeley, Calif., averaged 18 points and nine rebounds as a senior at Houston's (Texas) Westside High School. He was just inside or just outside the top 100 players on most recruiting lists. Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Houston and Texas also recruited him.

The departure of the 6-foot-9 Briggs leaves UMass thinner up front as Briggs was expected to contribute inside. But the Minutemen were deep in the front court and still have four inside players: seniors Micah Brand and Jackie Rogers, sophomore Gabe Lee and freshman Alassane Kouyate.

Lappas siad he isn't worried about the basketball impact of the move.

"I don't think it affects us that much at all," Lappas said. "If you start worrying about the impact of losing a player that hasn't even pulled on a practice jersey, you don't have a very good program. We're going to move forward with and build with our kinds of morals and our kind of discipline."

It increases the importance of recruiting big men, however. UMass already was pursuing inside players to offset the losses next year of Brand and Rogers.

At 6-foot-9, freshman Rashaun Freeman, who is sitting out this season as an academic non-qualifier, can play either forward spot.

The Minutemen will now have two scholarships to offer high school seniors. They've already received a verbal commitment from 6-foot-4 guard Art Bowers.

Lappas expected the rest of his team to accept the decision.

"I have no doubt they will respect, understand and learn from it," he said.

Lappas said it was important to get the matter resolved prior to the start of practice, which was set to begin Saturday morning.

The Minutemen open their regular season against last year's national runner-up Indiana at the Maui Invitational on Nov. 25.

Because Briggs is leaving within a year of signing his official letter of intent, he will lose eligibility. Wherever he ends up, Briggs can either begin play next year at mid-season and have 21/2 years of eligibility or he can wait until the 2004-05 season and have three full years left.

Southwest Scouting.com, an Internet recruiting service, reports that the University of Houston, Baylor and Louisiana State interested in Briggs, with his hometown Cougars as the leader.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.