NCAA says 49 teams fall short on academics Although some Philadelphia basketball and football teams did not make the grade, none will lose scholarships.

The NCAA released its 2007 Academic Progress Report yesterday, and although some Division I basketball and football teams from Philadelphia did not achieve the target score of 925, none will be penalized with the loss of scholarships.

The latest scores reflect a three-year period. The 49 teams across the country that did not meet the APR standard this year received warning letters.

Not surprisingly, big-budget schools fared well in the ratings. Low-budget, historically black colleges and universities accounted for about 13 percent of the schools that are facing potential scholarship losses or receiving warning letters because of poor classroom performance.

Thirteen of the schools that received warning letters came from hurricane-stricken Louisiana.

Last week, the NCAA board of directors approved an annual fund to hand out $1.6 million in grants to underfunded schools.

When the NCAA levied sanctions for the first time to teams that failed to meet APR requirements last spring, the Temple football team had to forfeit nine scholarships. With a score of 802, the Owls were among 99 squads that paid a price. Temple had a roster of 76 players instead of 85 last season.

In the latest APR report, the team's three-year score was 858. More important, the Owls were up to 901 for the 2005-06 school year.

The NCAA had suggested upgrading services to student-athletes at schools that fell under APR requirements. Temple put together a new academic advising team before this season and designated more rooms for study halls and tutoring.

Temple's scholarships were restored for head coach Al Golden's second season.

The Owls had suffered in the APR because of former coach Bobby Wallace's 2002 recruiting class. Wallace stocked up on junior-college players that season, and that class did not fare well academically.

Meanwhile, the men's and women's teams from Drexel, Villanova and Penn were cited last month by the NCAA for having multiyear APR scores in the top 10 percent in their respective sports.

Penn, which as an Ivy League school does not offer athletic scholarships, was not assigned an official APR score.

At Drexel, where men's basketball coach Bruiser Flint has seen 100 percent of his players graduate, academic recognition capped a 23-9 season.

"To have one of the best basketball seasons in Drexel history on the court, and then to be recognized for being in the top 10 percent academically off the court, is very special," said Eric Zilmer, Drexel's athletic director.