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Wes Clark, Aarion Penton, and others charged with marijuana possession

UPDATE: As expected, Clark and Penton have been suspended by Frank Haith pending review.

By Bill Connelly
Kevin C. Cox

As reported by Steve Walentik of the Columbia Tribune, two basketball players (Wes Clark and Shane Rector) and two football players (Aarion Penton, Shaun Rupert) were charged on Saturday night for suspicion of possession of a small amount of marijuana.

College students are going to smoke marijuana, everybody gets a Strike 1, etc., but getting caught doing this before your season ends, as you're waiting to find out your postseason draw, isn't a particularly good look. One has to figure the odds are good that both Clark and Rector are suspended for Tuesday night's NIT game against Davidson. (We'll find out for sure this afternoon during Frank Haith's weekly press conference.) That gives the Tigers a severe backcourt deficiency if Jordan Clarkson is in foul trouble or playing poorly (as he did for most of Mizzou's trip to the SEC Tournament). It might not have an effect, but it's a pretty dumb offense no  matter what.

Meanwhile, judging by past precedent, Penton and Rupert will also be suspended for the 2014 football season opener against South Dakota State. Penton is a projected starter, which means that someone like David Johnson, Ernest Payton, Anthony Sherrils or a newcomer (Logan Cheadle, Kenya Dennis, etc.) might be the opening-night starter instead.

Hey, Coach Pinkel. Got anything to say on the matter?

UPDATE:

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