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NC State guard Braxton Beverly hires attorney to challenge NCAA ruling

RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 18: Mr. Wuf, mascot of the North Carolina State Wolfpack, leads the cheers against the Stanford Cardinal during play at PNC Arena on December 18, 2012 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina State won 88-79. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 18: Mr. Wuf, mascot of the North Carolina State Wolfpack, leads the cheers against the Stanford Cardinal during play at PNC Arena on December 18, 2012 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina State won 88-79. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

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The case of NC State freshman guard Braxton Beverly has been an interesting one to follow, as it has left many infuriated with the NCAA and the way it handles eligibility cases. Beverly enrolled at Ohio State in May under the assumption that he would be playing for the coach he committed to in Thad Matta. In June the school made a change, with Matta stepping down and Chris Holtmann taking over as head coach.

Beverly would ultimately decide to move on, transferring to NC State. The hope was that the extenuating circumstances would be considered in Beverly’s appeal to be eligible this year, but the NCAA said no on two separate occasions despite the departure of the head coach Beverly committed to playing for at Ohio State. Beverly, who did attend classes at Ohio State, has decided that he will not take this ruling lying down.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, Beverly has retained the services of attorney Scott Tompsett with the hope that he can suit up for the Wolfpack this season. NC State submitted Beverly’s case for reconsideration as a result of Tompsett being hired.

Tompsett is no stranger to taking on the NCAA, as past clients include former UConn head coach Jim Calhoun, Arizona football coach Rich Rodriguez and current college basketball head coaches Randy Bennett (Saint Mary’s), Ben Howland (Mississippi State) and Rob Senderoff (Kent State).

Tompsett also represented former Louisville head coach Rick Pitino in the aftermath of the NCAA’s ruling on the stripper scandal, with Pitino being given a five-game suspension.

It should be noted that four months after the NCAA made its ruling on sanctions for the Louisville basketball program, Pitino was relieved of his duties in connection to the ongoing FBI investigation into corruption and bribes in college basketball recruiting.