Stewart’s UCI Debut Is Delayed One Game : Basketball: Suspension involves NCAA rules violation while guard was at Marquette. He can play first game Dec. 19.

IRVINE — The UC Irvine men’s basketball team hopes to get an offensive boost when transfer guard Keith Stewart becomes eligible, but Stewart’s debut has been delayed by a one-game suspension stemming from NCAA rules violations he incurred while at Marquette, UC Irvine announced Monday.

Stewart, who transferred to Irvine last January, was expected to be eligible for Monday’s game at Loyola Marymount, but now will play his first game as an Anteater Dec. 19 against Loyola (Ill.) in Chicago.

Irvine Athletic Director Tom Ford said he could not comment on the nature of the violations.

Stewart declined to be explicit, but described the violations involving him as minor.

“Some things went on at Marquette, little petty things, you know how the NCAA is,” Stewart said.

Stewart was suspended two weeks last season when he and another Marquette player, Jay Zulauf, were investigated for possible misuse of complimentary tickets. Although the players were cleared and reinstated, it is believed that the ticket issue could be one of the reasons for the current suspension.

Stewart also suggested that violations in the Marquette program are not isolated.

Asked if other players at Marquette were involved in violations, Stewart said, “most definitely.”

“If I was to open my mouth about all the crap at Marquette, oh man,” he said. “There’s a lot of dirty stuff going on. They’re trying to make it look like it’s me. It’s not me.”

An attempt to contact Marquette officials Monday evening was unsuccessful, and the NCAA offices were closed for the day.

Stewart left Marquette after playing in only five games last season. Coach Kevin O’Neill suspended him for the season, claiming Stewart fell asleep in a film session. Stewart denies that he was asleep. Combined with the suspension during the ticket inquiry and a brief suspension for breaking an academic rule, the incident was considered a third strike against Stewart.

Stewart blames his current difficulty on the fact that he is no longer at the school and his soured relationship with O’Neill, who in the past has declined to discuss Stewart.

Irvine, notified Nov. 21 by the NCAA that Stewart was ineligible for an indefinite period, appealed the ruling and was notified Friday that the appeal had been accepted provided Stewart sit out one additional game after fulfilling transfer requirements.

“What concerned us in this whole matter is that Keith was going to have additional hurdles to overcome in order to do what he wants to do, which is to play basketball and get his degree,” Ford said. “Here he was with a fresh start, and that comes back to haunt him. We wanted to get him back on track as quickly as we could.”

Stewart, a junior who transferred to Irvine last season under former coach Bill Mulligan, was ineligible for Irvine’s first four games because NCAA transfer regulations require him to sit out for one academic year, a period that ends with the conclusion of the fall quarter Friday.

“I can’t wait to get in there,” Stewart said. “I’m not gonna fight it (the suspension). It’s one game.”