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Auburn applies for Purifoy’s reinstatement

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in the first half of the Under Armour Reunion at Madison Square Garden on December 12, 2016 in New York City.Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Michael Reaves

Danjel Purifoy has yet to play for Auburn this season as part of the fallout of the federal investigation into corruption in college basketball, but the Tigers have sought his reinstatement from the NCAA, according to 247 Sports.

Auburn previously applied for the reinstatement of Austin Wiley, but that application was denied by the NCAA. Wiley has not played this season, either.

Purifoy, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, averaged 11.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 39.8 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from 3-point range. He is believed to be an unidentified player in federal documents whose mother is alleged to have received $11,000 from Tigers assistant Chuck Person, who was won of 10 people arrested as part of the probe last year.

Despite being without Wiley and Purifoy, Auburn is 21-2 overall and alone in first place in the SEC with a 9-1 conference mark. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl expects both Wiley and Purifoy to test the NBA waters come the spring.

“I think we have several players that should do that this year,” Pearl said Monday. “You know, go see where they’re at because they can come back if they don’t like their position.

“While we miss Danjel and Austin on the floor, my advice to both of those guys is see where you’re at, go work out, if you like the position then you’re hearing – and one thing about the NBA: They do a really good job. They’ll let you know pretty close to about where you’re going to go. That’s what I would expect them to do.”