MVC & OVC Coaches & NABC Reactions to Scandal

(St. Louis, MO) – Some Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley Conference coaches are reacting to the national scandal involving at least four ‘Money Conference’ teams. Assistant coaches from Auburn, Oklahoma State, USC and Arizona have been arrested in an FBI investigation that involves bribery, wire fraud and financial payments made to family members of top rated players.

In breaking news, multiple reports say Rick Pitino has been fired at Louisville in connection with this FBI probe.

Southeast Missouri head coach Rick Ray tweeted strong words about the cheating going on in the upper levels of college basketball.

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College basketball’s FBI news… pic.twitter.com/raxuHVLILQ

— Rick Ray (@RickRay1) September 26, 2017

 

One might consider Ray, a former head coach in the SEC, a person with perspective and knowledge of what goes on at the highest levels of college basketball.

Illinois State head coach Dan Muller called upon the media to resist the notion to paint all basketball programs with the same negative brush.

 

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I really wish a number of well respected media would stop saying “EVERY head coach in the country is nervous right now.” Factually incorrect

— Dan Muller (@DanMuller) September 26, 2017

 

NABC Senior Director of Communications, Rick Leddy issued this formal response.

“Tuesday’s allegations of recruiting improprieties across the college basketball landscape have shaken the game and the coaching profession to the core. As role models and leaders of young men, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of lawful, ethical behavior – on and off the court. These actions, if proven true, are not indicative of the character of the greater college coaching community, and we remain confident in our NABC members’ shared commitment to integrity. Should the progression of this case ultimately indicate a pressing need for reform within our sport, the NABC will unquestionably be on the forefront of those efforts.”

Editor’s Note: We know not all ‘Money Conference’ teams cheat and not all so-called ‘mid-major’ teams play by the rules. However, the issue of inequity and the ‘big time’ programs playing by a different set of rules than the rest of Division 1 programs is one of the reasons we cover the OVC and the Valley rather than the ‘power conference’ teams.

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