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Provo • BYU center Brandon Davies was suspended from the Cougars' nationally ranked team for the remainder of the season because he violated the school's honor code provision that prohibits premarital sex, The Salt Lake Tribune has learned.

Davies, a sophomore from Provo High School, acknowledged his transgression to BYU officials on Monday, according to multiple sources.

After BYU's stunning 82-64 loss to New Mexico on Wednesday night, Cougars coach Dave Rose addressed Davies' dismissal for the first time, saying, "I think it was a surprise to everyone."

Asked whether he believes Davies will play basketball for BYU again, Rose said, "yeah, I do."

On Tuesday, the school owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Davies had been dismissed from the team but was being allowed to remain in school while his situation was under review by the Honor Code Office.

BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said Davies' suspension from the team was for the remainder of the season and that his future at the school has yet to be determined.

Two of Davies' teammates, Jimmer Fredette and Charles Abouo, said Wednesday night after the loss that they stand behind their former teammate and have no resentment toward him, saying they consider him a brother.

"Everyone makes mistakes in their life," Abouo said. "We are reaching out and trying to help him get through this."

Davies was averaging 11.1 points and a team-leading 6.2 rebounds per game this season for a team that entered Wednesday's game ranked No. 3 in the nation, but will surely tumble after losing by 18 points to an unranked team.

The past 24 hours, since Davies was dismissed, "have been difficult," Fredette said. "Brandon is one of our good players, and he is like a brother to us, family. It is tough to lose a guy like that. We just have to pull together."

Fredette said Davies spoke to the team and apologized.

"He told us everything. He told us he was sorry and that he let us down. We just held our heads high and told him it was OK, that it is life, and you make mistakes, and you just got to play through it," Fredette said.

At 6-foot-9 and 235 pounds, Davies' physical presence was regarded as essential to the Cougars as they fought for a possible No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, but Wednesday's loss likely takes BYU out of consideration.

According to a source close to the program, Davies was "extremely remorseful, heartbroken," but has accepted the punishment doled out by the school.

On Wednesday afternoon, the school confirmed that Davies' dismissal was not due to anything criminal in nature, but would not acknowledge the specific portion of the honor code he violated, per school policy.

Among other things, the honor code forbids students from engaging in premarital sex, and admonishes them to "live a chaste and virtuous life."

Searches of various police department and court records Wednesday morning by The Tribune did not reveal any brushes with the law for the 19-year-old Davies, who started in 26 of BYU's first 29 games this season.

Jenkins said Tuesday that the school became aware of Davies' honor code violation on Monday, the same day the Cougars moved up to No. 3 in the polls.

Rose said the Cougars played so poorly Wednesday and New Mexico so well that it is doubtful Davies' presence would have changed the final result.

"Brandon's heart is in the right place. I think that he wants to continue his education here at BYU," Rose said. "There are a lot of things that have yet to be determined."