PROVO, Utah, March 3 (UPI) -- A star Brigham Young University basketball player has been suspended for the rest of the season for having premarital sex, the Utah school confirmed.
Brandon Davies, 19, was suspended from the Cougars' nationally-ranked team for the remainder of the season and apologized to his teammates for violating the school's honor code, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Thursday.
The 6-foot 9-inch 235-pound center was scoring more than 11 points and averaging a team-leading 6.2 rebounds per game. His absence was no doubt felt when the No. 3-ranked Cougars were defeated by unranked New Mexico 82-64 Wednesday.
Cougar coach Dave Rose said of the suspension: "I think it was a surprise to everybody."
The Tribune said sources told it that Davies admitted to his transgressions Monday. The school's honor code prohibits premarital sex.
BYU is located in Provo, about an hour's drive south of Salt Lake City. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns the school.
"Everyone makes mistakes in their life," teammate Charles Abouo said. "We are reaching out and trying to help him get through this."
BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said Davies' future at the school hasn't been determined.
"Brandon's heart is in the right place. I think that he wants to continue his education here at BYU," Rose said. "There are a lot of things that have yet to be determined."
