Billy Gillispie to focus on health

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LUBBOCK, Texas -- The Texas Tech athletic director says coach Billy Gillispie is no longer making day-to-day decisions for the basketball program so he can focus on his health.

Kirby Hocutt said Tuesday that he told Gillispie late last week that he was not "to engage" in the program in "any way" until the two talk face to face about allegations of player mistreatment.

Gillispie called 911 and was taken to the hospital Aug. 31, the same day he was supposed to meet with Hocutt about the allegations. The school says it is investigating Gillispie's leadership of the program. Gillispie left the hospital last Thursday.

Texas Tech said Gillispie is on indefinite sick leave and that he was reprimanded in January for exceeding the NCAA's weekly practice limit, violations it has reported.

Hocutt's announcement came one day after Jordan Tolbert, the Red Raiders' leading scorer, told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that he doesn't want to play for Gillispie.

"I don't," Tolbert told Katz by phone. "I don't. Maybe I would for the assistants. I haven't put that much thought into it. There is a big sense of urgency. I don't want to play for him if he comes back."

Tolbert was one of the returning players who met with Hocutt two weeks ago after the compliance office queried the players about excessive practice time. The forward said the players have not been informed about Gillispie's status or his health update after he was released from University Medical Center.

ESPN.com's Andy Katz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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