Oct. 30, 2009

Milwaukee - The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has ruled that Marquette freshman Youssoupha Mbao must sit out the team's first two regular season games in 2009-10 due to a violation in NCAA amateurism rules prior to his arrival on campus.

Mbao, a native of Dakar, Senegal, played on a team (Dunas Hotels Gran Canaria) that had a professional player on its roster.

The 7-2 center will be eligible to participate in the team's exhibition contest against MSOE, but will miss the first two contests of the season against Centenary and Maryland Eastern Shore. He will be able to make his MU debut when the squad hosts Grambling on Nov. 21.