An anonymous source told CBSSports.com [11] on Wednesday that the Syracuse University men’s basketball team has been under NCAA investigation for years.
While the investigation doesn’t have to do with last year’s allegations made against former associate head coach Bernie Fine, it’s still both major and wide-ranging, the source told CBSSports.com [11].
“Throw a dart at the [NCAA] Manual [and you would hit a violation by Syracuse],” the source told CBSSports.com [11].
The investigation apparently includes former SU center Fab Melo’s academic eligibility from the 2012 season, as well as allegations regarding three former players allegedly involved in a sexual assault case in 2007. The former players allegedly involved in the sexual assault case were Johnny Flynn, Scoop Jardine and Rick Jackson, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.
The alleged victim said the former SU players assaulted her at an off-campus party, the Post-Standard said. Meg Babcock Locker, an NCAA investigator, interviewed former associate dean David Potter about the sexual assault case involving Flynn, Jardine and Jackson.
This marks the second year SU has been in the national spotlight because of alleged NCAA violations.
"Same story they had last year at this time,” Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim told CBS Sports. “I guess that's annual. I guess next year we'll get it again.”
Melo missed last year’s tournament because of academic eligibility issues and Fine was involved in a sexual assault case that was dropped by Federal authorities last November. Senior forward James Southerland also missed six games this year because of an academic eligibility issue.
Boeheim also said his team is currently focused on playing the No. 13 seed Montana Grizzlies Thursday, March 21, not on the alleged investigation.
"What people write or say, you know there's 30,000 people in the [Carrier] Dome yelling at me all the time," Boeheim told CBSSports.com [11].
