UB Students React To Star Bas­ketball Player Kicked Out Of School

AMHERST, N.Y. -- A star University at Buffalo basketball player is no longer on the team or part of the institution. Forward Justin Moss has been kicked out of school for his part in a dorm room theft earlier this summer.

The team's historic run to the NCAA tournament in March galvanized a community and a school around UB basketball.

"It was crazy, sports got the most attention I've seen in awhile," said recent grad Alexander Marvel.

Forward Justin Moss was a major part of it, winning the Mid-American Conference player of the year as the team won the conference tournament.

"Without a doubt, if he's conference player of the year, he brings value to the team and the school and in general the name of the school and in sports," said law student Hassan Mirza.

Moss won't be back this season to defend his title. In June, he was one of three players caught stealing money from two other students in a dorm. Monday, the university released a statement saying Moss is not currently enrolled in classes or participating in university activities. The two other players remain on the team.

"I'm surprised that in the position he was in that he would do such a thing," Marvel said. "He has everything going for him."

"I'm glad that he didn't get special treatment just because he's like a star athlete because I feel like a lot of athletes get special treatment and I'm like glad that he was actually punished for it," said junior Kayla Morey.

Some students do wish UB would've given Moss at least one more chance.

"If someone's a conference player of the year I think it's really important that if a school wants to make sure that their sports programs are really good or competitive you want to make sure that players are taken care of," Mirza said.

The team heads into the season without second-leading scorer Shannon Evans and coach Bobby Hurley, as well. Both left for Arizona State, but students said they're not ready to give up on the upcoming season.

"I hope they have passed the most difficult times and I hope that in the new season they will get better," grad student Gary Zhao said.

"I would say that we still have a lot of promise. Because we have done so well it definitely appeals to more athletes coming up so we'll see how it goes," Marvel said.