BASKETBALL

Vic Trilli, an assistant basketball coach at Texas, said Thursday that he told Jim Harrick, then San Diego State’s interim coach, last spring that the Longhorns would not participate in this year’s Texaco Star Basketball Classic.

But SDSU Athletic Director Fred Miller said that a contract remains in place.

“We were planning on going out there until Harrick called and made us aware that an NAIA school (Azusa Pacific) had been invited to the tournament,” Trilli said. “I talked with Coach (Tom) Penders and two days later called Harrick back saying that we didn’t want to participate in a tournament with an NAIA school.”

Trilli cited a Southwest Conference rule that mandates its teams do not play non-Division I teams.

“Our power ratings go down too low,” said Trilli, who handles Texas’ basketball scheduling. “For us, to play in San Diego would have been great. But at the same time, we’re trying to get into the NCAA tournament. If we play or even get beat by a non-Division I school like Azusa Pacific, that would kill us.”

Butch Worley, a Texas assistant athletic director who also handles basketball scheduling, said he had checked the scheduling snafu out and that the Longhorns would not be coming to San Diego.

Miller said he is in the process of talking with DeLoss Dodds, Texas athletic director.

“We believe contracts are contracts,” Miller said.