March 28, 2008 -- Years after the NCAA approved sweeping reforms designed to boost the academic performance of student athletes, a significant gap remains  between black and white basketball athletes, according to a study released Wednesday by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES).

For evidence, one need look no further than this year's Sweet 16 Round men's basketball championship. More than one-third of the teams in this year's Sweet 16 graduated 20 percent more white players than black players, according to the report. Three of the Sweet 16 teams graduated a larger percentage of black players than white players, but most reported double disparities into the double-digits.

"The gap is alarming," says Floyd Keith, executive director of the Black Coaches and Administrators, based in Indianapolis, Ind. "Overall, black basketball players graduate college at a rate higher than the average black student. Still, more must be done to decrease the gap between the graduation of blacks and whites."

Keith said the statistics may be affected by the number of blacks taking early entry into the NBA. Some return to college to complete their degree later, but if it's not within six years of their original start, it will count against you in the data, he said. "But not everyone is going to the NBA," he added.

Only one men's team – Western Kentucky, which lost to #1 UCLA yesterday – graduated 100 percent of its basketball athletes, while four women's teams in the Sweet 16 --Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma State -- had a 100 percent graduation rate.

The institute based its report on the NCAA's graduation success rate (GSR), reviewing 2000-01 graduation (six-year) rates, with a four-class average of freshman classes 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, and 2000-01.

"There has been consistent progress, especially since the NCAA initiated its reform program. Still, the gap is alarming," said Richard Lapchick, author of the report and executive director of TIDES.

In 2004, the NCAA approved reforms that seek to hold colleges and their athletic programs more accountable for student athletes' academic performance. "Athletic programs can now lose scholarships if they don't meet NCAA goals for student progress. No one wants to lose scholarships," Lapchick said.

Only three schools – Davidson College, Stanford University and Washington State – graduated more black male basketball players than white players. Davidson, located just outside of Charlotte, N.C. graduated 100 percent of its black players and only 50 percent of its white players. Stanford, located near San Jose, Calif., graduated 71 percent of its black players and 60 percent of its white players.

Washington State University had one of the lowest percentages for graduation rates among Sweet 16 teams with 35 percent. The college located in Pullman, Wash., graduated 33 percent of its black players and 25 percent of its white players.

Texas and West Virginia had the lowest number of black males graduating in during the survey period, both at 22 percent. There was a more than 40 percentage point gap at Texas between the graduation rates of black males and white males. While only 22 percent of blacks graduated, 67 percent of the white basketball players graduated. At West Virginia, the gap between black and white graduation rates for males was smaller, with 33 percent of whites graduating compared to the 22 percent for blacks.

Lapchick says that graduation success hinges on more than what happens on the basketball courts.

The problems are rooted in nation's urban and rural school systems, he said. Some of those schools do not have the facilities and equipment to match those in many suburban schoosl, the differences show up in the level of student preparation. "When athletes are recruited from those schools, colleges must have systems in place to help them catch up. They also have to have a support system in place for them," Lapchick said.

Overall, black basketball athletes have a higher graduation rates than black students. Black male basketball players have 53 percent graduation rate, com pared to 37 percent for black male students, the study showed. Black females have a graduation rate of 72 percent compared with 48 percent for black female students overall.

Among women's Sweet 16 teams, Texas A&M had the lowest graduation rate for blacks at 50 percent.