UI Suspends Disgruntled Guard; Comments ‘Detrimental To Team’ Coach Won’t Elaborate After Action Against Derrick Elliott

Idaho basketball guard Derrick Elliott was suspended indefinitely on Monday, one day after he complained about playing time.

Elliott was suspended “because his attitude was detrimental to the team’s progress,” coach Kermit Davis said in a release.

Davis declined further comment Monday.

Elliott commented at length on Sunday in the aftermath of a frustrating 55-52 loss to Utah State. Elliott was benched early in the second half. With Idaho trailing by one point in the final 20 seconds, Davis inserted Elliott for his driving ability. Elliott picked up a questionable call for traveling. Later, with UI down by three, Elliott missed a desperation 30-footer at the buzzer.

“For me to sit about 18 minutes of the second half, just watching our team perform. … I’m not saying it selfishly, but me being a starter anywhere else in college basketball, knowing I can make a difference, I’m not understanding,” said Elliott, a junior who played JC ball at North Idaho College and Utah Valley.

“I wasn’t out there for a 3-minute stretch the whole game. I’m not trying to be selfish, but when is this going to stop? Is this going to go on the whole year?”

Elliott was benched for a defensive lapse, Davis said Sunday. “He’s just got to get better. The reason he came out was because he was hurting our chances to win. He wasn’t stopping dribble penetration and he was missing assignments in the zone.”

Elliott questioned his removal.

“Who was stopping dribble penetration? (Utah State guard Marcus) Saxon was getting to the hole the whole game. So what’s the difference? Is it me?”

Earlier this season, Elliott was suspended briefly for what Davis termed a bad attitude.

Elliott, who has started six of 15 games, is averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He’s shooting 35 percent on field goals, 42 percent on 3-pointers.

Elliott played 35 minutes, scoring five points on 1 of 7 shooting, in a loss to Nevada on Thursday.

Elliott’s play has been sporadic. At times, he has been a strong defender and a capable shooter. At other times, he has forced shots and made poor decisions with the ball.

Asked about the source of his inconsistent play, Elliott said, “It’s because I’m looking over my shoulder when I shoot the ball. When I come into a game, of course I gotta think I gotta be a hero, and shoot some shots and show some people that I can play, and show coach I deserve to be out here.”

Elliott, who admitted his outburst could have ramifications, added, “There’s no inner thing going on here. Everybody’s happy, it’s just Derrick Elliott. It just hurts to come into the locker room and see guys who busted their butts the whole game and you weren’t out there to help.”

Idaho, already shorthanded, plays a road game against Pacific on Thursday before a home date with Boise State on Saturday.

, DataTimes