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The latest on Khalif Wyatt’s arrest

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Khalif Wyatt probably had a worse weekend than you did.

The leading returning scorer for the Temple Owls was one of 23 people arrested in Atlantic City as police tried to crackdown on a problem the city has been having: prostitution.

Now, there are few things more embarrassing than getting for soliciting a prostitute. Not only is there the issue of, you know, being arrested and having a court date and a record and all, there is also the associated assumption that you have such a miserable personality that you need to resort to paying a person to take an interest in you.

As a second-team all-Atlantic 10 player, that’s not exactly something you want going public. Making matters all the more embarrassing is that it was Wyatt’s 21st birthday celebration.

“I apologize to my family, teammates, coaches and Temple University for the embarrassment that I have caused,” Wyatt said. “I was in Atlantic City this past weekend celebrating my 21st birthday with friends and exercised very poor judgment by allowing myself and my friends to be put in a compromising situation. I intend to cooperate with the authorities during their investigation and the legal process.”

Soliciting a prostitute -- and trying to run out of the hotel room when you realize you’re busted -- is not a good thing and Wyatt will obviously have to deal with the legal consequences, but this also isn’t exactly armed robbery. He didn’t shoot or stab anyone. Like many of us, Wyatt did something really dumb on his 21st birthday. The difference? He got caught.

Wyatt’s record is clean is the eyes of the courts, but that is not exactly the case in regards to Fran Dunphy, Temple’s head coach. Three times this past season, Wyatt was benched at the start of a game for showing up late to a team function.

“We have just become aware of the charges and are still gathering information at this point,” Temple senior associate athletic director for communications Larry Dougherty said in a statement Monday night

Only time will tell exactly what kind of punishment Dunphy will be handing down to Wyatt. What we’ve seen in similar situations in the past has been a suspension for a couple of preseason games. Is this the kind of thing that is worthy of being kicked off the team? I don’t think so, but it’s not my decision to make.

Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.