NCAA Basketball: Programs currently in danger of facing NCAA sanctions
By Bryan Mauro
NCAA Basketball program in trouble – Oklahoma State Cowboys
June 5, 2020, is the date that the first sentencing was handed out in the wake of the FBI investigation that was started in 2017. The Oklahoma State Cowboys were the recipient of the first punishment. Oklahoma State was nowhere close to the largest offender of the rules. Their punishment is not a good omen for the schools that are the biggest offenders.
Oklahoma State was given a single level I violation. The level I violation stems from an old assistant coach Lamont Evans, who has served jail time for his role in the bribery investigation. Evans was given his level I violation for unethical conduct when it comes to recruiting. The former assistant was caught on tape discussing bribes with recruits.
The NCAA has this weird thing about punishing the school at all cost and not thinking about who the current head coach is or the players. When the NCAA announced that the Cowboys would miss the postseason for 2020-2021 and have their scholarships reduced by 3 for three seasons it doesn’t punish the proper parties. The current coaches and players had nothing to do with the actions by coach Evans and they are having to pay for it accordingly. Many, including myself, do not think that is right. In spite of that, the Pokes are going to miss the 2020-2021 tournament.
It remains to be seen how this affects their roster now. Oklahoma State and current head coach Mike Boynton were able to secure the number one recruit in the class in Cade Cunningham. The Cowboys also have some good returning pieces like Isaac Likekele and Yor Anei who are approaching the tail end of their careers and maybe looking for greener pastures. The reduction of scholarships and the postseason ban may cause some lasting damage to the tenure of a coach who was not even on campus at the time the violations occurred.