AUBURN AUTHORITY

Cinmeon Bowers suspended for 'potential rules violation'

James Crepea

Montgomery Advertiser

Auburn forward Cinmeon Bowers (5) and Mississippi State guard I.J. Ready (15) vie for a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Wednesday, March 11, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn.

NASHVILLE -- Auburn center Cinmeon Bowers has been suspended for Saturday's SEC Tournament semifinal game against Kentucky due to "a potential rules violation," coach Bruce Pearl announced in a statement prior to the game.

Pearl was made aware of the potential violation, the nature of which is not specified, following Friday's quarterfinal win over LSU, according to a release.

Bowers averaged 12.1 points and 9.6 rebounds while starting all 34 games for Auburn this season.

Walk-on Devin Waddell, who came in averaging 0.5 points, started in place of Bowers, who is on the bench for Saturday's game and is expected to be available for comment afterward.

With forward Jordon Granger also suspended due to his Flagrant 2 foul and ejection from Friday's game, Auburn did not start a player taller than the 6-foot-5 Waddell against perhaps the tallest team in college basketball history.

Auburn's only player over 6-foot-9 is backup center Trayvon Reed (7-foot-2), who did not appear in the previous five games.

Auburn and Pearl's coaching staff offered no comment via a release "as they continue to gather facts."