UPDATE: Bennett informed the team of Landesberg’s suspension this morning when they arrived at John Paul Jones Arena. The game plan had been put in place assuming his full participation. Here’s what the coach had to say after the game:

“That was a hard decision. We know the value he has to our team, and he’s a good kid. It was a difficult decision. But as the statement said, there are some expectations and some standards that have to be adhered to.

“I hope it helps, and it was something that, like I said, not easy to do considering teh circumstances. But again, there are some expectations and there are some consequences to those. And there’s a big picture.

“We’re really trying to establish this program with the right kinds of things for now and for the future. When you come to a school like the University of Virginia there are some opportunities and some expectations, and when they’re not met, action is taken. We want our program, our young men, to understand that when we say things we mean them.”

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Virginia guard Sylven Landesberg, the team’s leading scorer, has been suspended for the remainder of the season by coach Tony Bennett. The decision was announced an hour before the team’s senior day game against Maryland.

“Sylven has failed to live up to his academic obligations and will not play in games for the remainder of the season,” Bennett said in a release distributed by Virginia media relations. “This is a very difficult decision. Sylven is a fine young man who I deeply care about, but our players need to take personal responsibility for their academic obligations.”

We’ll update this post with more from Bennett’s press conference after the game, but this certainly calls into doubt whether Landesberg will return next year or head to the NBA.

Full statement from Bennett:

“Sylven has failed to live up to his academic obligations and will not play in games for the remainder of the season. This is a very difficult decision. Sylven is a fine young man who I deeply care about, but our players need to take personal responsibility for their academic obligations. There are standards and expectations that Sylven and every player in this program now and in the future must uphold. When they are not upheld, there are consequences.

“It’s important for our current and future players to understand it’s a privilege to compete in the ACC and attend one of the finest institutions in the country. My hope is through this action it will help Sylven and the other young men in our program understand the value of a degree from the University of Virginia and the opportunities it provides for life after basketball.”

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