(The Center Square) – Louisiana State University officials and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill asked a federal judge Tuesday to dismiss the Southeastern Conference’s lawsuit, arguing the university complied with conference rules and no continuing dispute warrants court intervention.

The reply challenges the SEC’s reliance on new allegations involving LSU’s basketball program to sustain a case that began over two football players. It follows the conference’s opposition to dismissal and comes more than a month after SEC leaders met without voting to consider expulsion of Louisiana’s publicly funded flagship university.

The SEC maintains the dispute extends beyond individual players and concerns its authority to determine conference membership without interference from LSU or state officials.

“Again, no rules were broken. If Greg Sankey won’t dismiss the case, the court should do it for him,” Murrill said in a statement, referring to the SEC commissioner.

Murrill’s office said the parties now await the court’s decision.

In the reply, attorneys for the defendants say the events that prompted the lawsuit have passed: LSU did not place the two football players on its roster, and university officials did not interfere with the Sept. 10 meeting of conference presidents and chancellors.

The defendants also say the SEC controls its membership decisions and chose not to remove LSU.

“Any continued association with LSU is thus the SEC’s choice,” the filing states.

The reply says no further termination meeting is scheduled and argues the conference’s concern that LSU would obstruct a future meeting is speculative.

In its Oct. 13 response, the SEC said leaving the players off the roster did not resolve its allegations about institutional control and compliance with conference rules. The conference maintains its First Amendment right of expressive association includes the right to end LSU’s membership.

The SEC also cited LSU’s recruitment of basketball player R.J. Luis Jr. and international players whose eligibility remained in question. It pointed to coach Will Wade’s comments about being unapologetic about his recruiting approach.

The defendants counter that those allegations were not included in the amended complaint and cannot be added through a response to a dismissal motion.

They also accuse the conference of taking Wade’s remarks out of context. The reply cites his Sept. 23 statement that LSU would abide by SEC requirements and subsequent comments that the basketball player at issue had not been placed on the roster.

The dispute began when LSU coach Lane Kiffin sought to add former Ole Miss players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who signed NFL contracts and were cut before the regular season began, then sought to return to college.

As The Center Square previously reported, a Baton Rouge judge granted relief to athletes challenging eligibility restrictions and barred the SEC from punishing schools in connection with the affected players. The conference sued LSU officials in Alabama and later raised the possibility of terminating LSU’s membership.

LSU ultimately filled its remaining football roster spots with other players. Conference leaders announced no sanctions after their Sept. 10 meeting.

The latest reply also renews arguments that the Alabama court lacks jurisdiction over the Louisiana defendants, that sovereign immunity bars the claims and that an alleged violation of conference rules does not establish a constitutional violation. The headquarters of the league are in Birmingham.

The defendants ask for dismissal without prejudice, which would leave the SEC able to bring a future case.