Sticking to principles appears to carry a steep cost for the nation's third-ranked college basketball team.

A day after Brigham Young University dismissed center Brandon Davies from the team for violating the school's strict honor code, the No. 3-ranked Cougars were throttled Wednesday by unranked New Mexico.

"The honor code really reflects who we are as a university. It defines us and it does make us different," BYU spokeswoman Carrie Jenkins told CNN affiliate KSTU-TV.

Davies, a 6-9 sophomore from Provo, was the team's top rebounder and third-leading scorer. He received the Cougars' Academic Excellence award last season, according to an online profile.

BYU had been gunning for a high seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, but the team's fortunes took a tumble with Wednesday night's 82-64 loss to New Mexico.

University officials said Davies admitted violating the honor code at BYU, which is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church.

The honor code requires all faculty, staff and students to:

Be honest;

Live a chaste and virtuous life;

Obey the law and all campus policies;

Use clean language;

Respect others;

Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee and substance abuse;

Participate regularly in church services;

Observe dress and grooming standards;

Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the honor code.

The code forbids homosexual behavior and bars members of the opposite sex from going beyond the lobby of the school's single-sex dormitories.

The dress and grooming standards forbid beards, tattoos and piercings for men and short or form-fitting clothes or bare feet in public for women.

The university did not say which part of the code Davies violated, but it did say he had not committed a crime. Davies' future as a student at BYU and his status for next season have yet to be determined.