UConn men's hoops under NCAA investigation

STORRS, Conn. -- The University of Connecticut is the target of an NCAA investigation into its men's basketball program.


University President Susan Herbst said in a statement Friday that the school will cooperate in a "thorough and transparent manner reflective of the model athletic and academic institution we continually strive to be."


The university didn't specify the allegations and said it would have no further comment, but would "address and respond appropriately as the inquiry moves forward."
Hearst Connecticut Media, which first reported the investigation, cited unidentified sources saying the inquiry was related to recruiting.

The school said it had begun an NCAA-mandated internal review of the men's basketball program this fall amid an FBI investigation into alleged corruption in college basketball. The focus of the federal probe has been on arrangements made between assistant coaches, shoe companies and financial advisers.


As part of that review, UConn retained a law firm -- Lightfoot, Franklin & White -- that specializes in athletics compliance. It says that firm also will assist in responding to this NCAA probe. The school didn't say whether the NCAA investigation was related to issues investigated by the FBI.


This is not the first time UConn has been under NCAA scrutiny.


Then-coach Jim Calhoun was forced to sit out three games during the 2011-12 basketball season and the school was put on three years of probation after the NCAA found violations dating to 2008. Those included improper phone calls, text messages and inducements provided by an agent who was a former team manager.
The school didn't receive a postseason ban, but then failed to meet NCAA academic qualifications for the 2013 NCAA tournament. The Huskies won their fourth NCAA championship the next season.


Kevin Ollie is now in his sixth season as coach and in the second year of a five-year $17.9 million contract that can be voided for "just cause," including NCAA violations.


Neither Ollie nor anyone else in the program mentioned the investigation following UConn's 63-52 win over SMU on Thursday night. The Huskies are 11-9 this season after going 16-17 a year ago, the team's first losing season in 30 years.

I suppose now we're paying for all those 3 star or 4 star recruits we're landing

My guess is they're looking into whether or not there were any ongoing communications between Ollie and Sid Williams, the guy who enrolled in St John's last June and then transferred out in August

Before leaving, I'm sure the kid must of contacted Ollie to see if he was still interested, and I'm thinking Mullins ain't happy about losing the kid



Pure speculation on my part

Wouldn't doubt UConn leaked it to just get rid of Ollie

^^^^^^^

There's some speculation about just that on the UConn board

What sucks is we're not going to know anything for a long time, and everyone is going to assume the worse

Calhoun was one of the dirtiest coaches...no surprise here

How do you go from Jim Calhoun ( one of the all time greats) to Kevin Ollie. That is just embarassing. Making that decision you had to know would put you in the cellar. Getting top recruits to UCONN is a struggle in itself but now you have an Affirmative Action hire who is qualified moreso to be a JV high school head coach/ varsity assistant

Kim Il Sung said:

How do you go from Jim Calhoun ( one of the all time greats) to Kevin Ollie. That is just embarassing. Making that decision you had to know would put you in the cellar. Getting top recruits to UCONN is a struggle in itself but now you have an Affirmative Action hire who is qualified moreso to be a JV high school head coach/ varsity assistant

Click to expand...

I disagree, Ollie has street cred, he's lived the life of the inner-city recruits and he worked himself into a long NBA career

His classes haven't been bad. Hamilton unexpectedly leaving early, too many key injuries last year and this year and a mass exodus after he pushed the reset button last April have hurt the program. But we're in a much better place then we were 11 short months ago, we have key freshmen coming along nicely, two key guys on the bench waiting to play next year and a couple of good recruits joining the team next year.

We'll be much better next year, with a chance to be back into the national discussion in 2 or 3 years.

Obviously, I don't disagree with the fact that Ollie is not my avatar