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Bryant Allen dismissed from Illinois State program

John Wilkins, Bryant Allen, Demetric Williams

Illinois State’s Bryant Allen, right, dribbles the ball as Wichita State’s Demetric Williams (5) tries to get around the screen of Illinois State’s John Wilkins (13) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, Saturday, March 9, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

AP

Bryant Allen’s career at Illinois State has come to an end.

Allen has been kicked off the team, according to The Associated Press, being dismissed for the standard “violation of team rules.” Though according to previous reports, Allen was arrested Sunday morning on unspecified drug charges following a traffic stop on campus. He has yet to be charged.

In a release, coach Dan Muller said that Allen, who would’ve been a senior, may be able to stay in school and earn his degree, but he will not be a member of the basketball team, obviously.

“Bryant has violated our team rules and I am very disappointed in him,” said Muller in a statement Monday,. “I will continue to try to help and encourage Bryant to finish his degree, but it will not be as a Redbird-student athlete.”

The dismissal cripples a Redbird program that is already hurting for proven talent. Gone is Jackie Carmichael, who exhausted his eligibility. Jon Ekey elected to transfer to Illinois. Johnny Hill chose to leave the program, as did Jordan Threloff (Northern Illinois) and Zeke Upshaw (Hofstra). In total, four players return off last season’s roster.

Allen, however, is the first to be forced to leave the program.

The Maplewood, Mo. native started 30 games last season for Illinois State last season and looked to be the lone returning starter for the Redbirds. The 6-1, 180-pound Allen averaged 8.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.8 rebounds last year. He spent his first season in college as a walk-on at Minnesota in 2009-10. He began his Illinois State career as a member of the football team.

Muller, although in his first season as head coach, had a disappointing year last season, given the expectations for the team in the Missouri Valley Conference. Looks like things aren’t going to get any easier, at least not in the near future, with an entirely new starting five next year.

Muller and his staff have a three-man freshman class of Tony Wills, Paris Lee and Anthony Beane, Jr., all three star recruits according to Scout.com, paired with five junior college transfers coming in for the 2013-14 season.

Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten