Report: Huskies Under NCAA Investigation

UConn men's basketball coach Kevin Ollie may be on the hot seat as his
11-9, 4-3 Huskies are underperforming, while UConn is under NCAA
scrutiny for recruiting compliance issues.

STORRS—The University of Connecticut men’s basketball program has had its issues in the past with the NCAA in compliance to the governing body’s rules and regulations. On Friday, the school confirmed that the men’s basketball team is under NCAA investigation and will seek counsel by an outside firm.

“The University and its Athletic Department are committed to a culture of compliance with all NCAA regulations,” the school said in a statement. “We will appropriately address and respond to this inquiry and continue cooperating fully with the NCAA as this process moves forward. Until that time, we will have no further comment.”

It’s not clear yet, however, whether or not the program has violated any recruiting rules.

“Often times these things take a long time and once the NCAA comes to look at—even if they come in and look at a small matter — that means they can look at anything they want,” said Jay Bilas, a college basketball analyst for ESPN.

Nikko Cleri, a junior at UConn, said he’s gone to 50 UConn men’s and women’s basketball games in the past few years.

“I think anytime that there’s an investigation, it’s bad for the university,” Cleri said. “But I think it comes at a worse time for Kevin Ollie, just because there’s been so much speculation about what his future is here.”

In Ollie’s first season as the Huskies head coach after serving as an assistant for his mentor, the legendary Jim Calhoun, for two years, the Huskies finished 20-10 overall and 8th in Big East play with a 10-8 record in conference play, but were ineligible for postseason play by the NCAA due to low APR scores for several season. Even though Ollie led Connecticut to its fourth national men's basketball national championship the following season, the Husies have not seriously contented for one since then. Last season, the Huskies finished 16-17 overall (9-9 in the American Athletic Conference). It was the first time the Huskies experienced a sub-.500 campaign in 30 years.

Bilas believes the NCAA investigation process is a flawed system—one that is hard to understand, which is why universities look for help from the outside.

“Often times you’ll see employees sacrificed before the altar of the NCAA in order to save the institution so they have differing interests at times,” Bilas said. “That’s why outside counsel can be helpful. And really for coaches, having your own counsel can be helpful.”

Cleri, a lifelong fan, said that no matter what happens, fans should stand by the team.

“I think that if something were to happen, yeah, it definitely would have a negative effect,” he said. “But just going to this school, you still have to have some sort of school pride so you have to stick with them.”

Ollie is in the second year of a five-year deal. The team is in danger of missing out on the NCAA tournament for a second consecutive year. That, too, hasn’t happened for 30 years—prior to Calhoun transforming the Huskies into a nationally renowned program.

—Staff Reports