Preseason No. 1 Indiana will start the first nine games of its men's basketball season without two of its freshmen. 

Peter Jurkin and Hanner Mosquera-Perea have been suspended by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits from an AAU coach while in high school.

Indiana announced it filed an appeal with the Student Athlete Reinstatement Committee to lower the number of games penalized. The NCAA found that Perea and Jurkin received $9,007.92 and $6,003.51 respectively and requires Jurkin to repay $250 and Perea $1,588.69. 

Mark Adams, the AAU coach, said his actions were permissible because he was their coach and in Perea's case, had attempted to become his legal guardian. 

But the NCAA said the benefits were improper because Adams was considered an "IU athletics donor" because he gave a combined $185 to the university between 1986-92. The three largest gifts were $30 and the smallest was $20. 

Even though Adams hasn't donated to the university since, the NCAA still claims he violated rules by providing to IU's current players. 

Indiana provided "new information" to the NCAA on Nov. 1 in hopes of lowering the number of games penalized. If the nine-game suspension stands, both players would be eligible by the Hoosiers' Dec. 15 game against Butler.