March 6, 2000 6:43 PM AP

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Auburn will prepare for the Southeastern Conference tournament without suspended star Chris Porter because the investigation into his dealings with an agent still isn't completed, coach Cliff Ellis said.

"There's no new information, nothing has been resolved," Ellis said Monday. "Hopefully we will know something soon."

Porter has been out since Feb. 27 when Auburn officials suspended him for accepting $2,500 worth of money orders. Nate Cebrun, a runner for sports agents, had said he arranged for a wealthy Las Vegas woman to loan the Auburn forward money.

Porter told school officials he needed cash to keep his mother from being evicted from her home.

Auburn officials have been investigating the situation since, but over a week has passed and the school has yet to turn its report into the NCAA. Once that is done, the school could ask the NCAA to reinstate Porter's eligibility.

Ellis said Monday school officials were close to asking the NCAA to do that.

Ideally, Auburn would like to know something definitive by Friday, when the Tigers play their first game of the SEC tournament. They'll face the winner of Thursday's game between No. 11 Florida and Mississippi.

The Tigers (21-8) have lost all three games Porter has missed and four in a row.

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