Off to an 0-2 start in Pacific-10 Conference play and with the Arizona schools coming to town this week, the Stanford men’s basketball team was dealt a couple of off-the-court blows Tuesday.

Two weeks after fellow two-sport teammate Mark Bradford announced he was leaving the basketball team to concentrate solely on football, sophomore big man on the hardwood and receiver on the gridiron Evan Moore made the same decision.

More surprisingly redshirt freshman guard Tim Morris was declared academically ineligible for winter quarter by the NCAA.

An NCAA rule designed to raise graduation rates and prevent student athletes from skipping classes during the season requires that students pass at least six units toward their degree every academic quarter in order to compete in the following quarter.

Morris, who was enrolled in the intensive 10-unit Human Biology core last quarter, did not pass the necessary units.

“Although I doubt cases like mine are the intended target of this particular NCAA legislation, I take full responsibility for having put myself in this situation,” said Morris in a press release. “I apologize to my teammates and coaches. I will do everything within my power to contribute to this year’s effort.”

Morris will be allowed to practice with the team this quarter and did so yesterday. Stanford, which is down to just nine scholarship players, appealed the decision with the NCAA, and a hearing is scheduled for Jan. 18.

“He will be missed,” said head coach Trent Johnson. “He started to play extremely well in the rotation. The unfortunate thing about this rule is that it could create incentives for players to take easy classes rather than challenging themselves.”

“Tim’s incredibly smart and works hard,” said teammate Carlton Weatherby, who took the Human Biology core last year. “They try to weed you out in that class. He was going across one of Stanford’s toughest majors, and I know there are several non-athletes who get weeded out every quarter.”

Weatherby indicated that the news came as a shock to everyone.

While players have access to academic advisers, Weatherby said that given the weight of the final exam in the Human Biology core, Morris may not have thought he was in danger of failing heading into the final.

The announcement came two days after Morris made his first career start in a narrow loss at Washington.

He had 12 points against the Huskies and was averaging 7.4 points per game.

Morris indicated that he will not let the NCAA’s decision change his goal of becoming a doctor.

“I came to Stanford because it offers the best combination of academics and basketball in the world,” Morris said. “I intend to take on both areas full-speed ahead.”

Moore, the Cardinal’s second leading receiver with 39 catches for 616 yards and six touchdowns, appeared in four games for the Cardinal basketball team this season.

“I support Evan whole-heartedly,” Johnson said. “Evan has an extremely bright future in football, and I think with the coaching change it was a good decision. I’m very happy for him.”

Bradford, who appeared in two games this season, left the team after scoring two points in four minutes in Stanford’s 84-66 win over Montana on Dec. 23.

The receiving duo could use the extra time to become familiar with new football head coach Walt Harris.

With Morris, Moore and Bradford out, sophomore guard Fred Washington, junior point guard Jason Haas and freshmen Taj Finger and Peter Prowitt will see more playing time, and Johnson is confident the entire team will step up.