Though there’s some segment of the Hoosier fanbase that’s already eager to see head coach Kelvin Sampson get the heave ho, the former OU head coach deserves some credit. In the space of two years he’s managed to become the target of more unsavory recruiting allegations than Bobby Knight mustered in his entire career. From the AP :
Indiana has received a list of alleged violations by its men’s basketball program from the NCAA and is expected to make it public Wednesday.
University trustees president Stephen Ferguson told the AP on Tuesday night that school officials this week reviewed a report, which stems from impermissible phone calls made by coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff during 2006 and 2007.
Ferguson would not detail what is contained in the report.
It comes in response to October’s announcement that a university investigation found Sampson made more than 100 impermissible phone calls while still on NCAA probation for infractions he committed during his tenure at Oklahoma.
Sampson was found to have made 577 impermissible calls from 2000 to 2004 and was punished by the NCAA in May 2006, less than two months after taking the Indiana job. Sampson was banned from calling recruits and making off-campus visits for one year.
Among the restrictions imposed on Sampson was a provision that did not allow him to participate in three-way calls. But the university found Sampson was involved in at least 10 three-way calls, most patched through by then assistant coach Rob Senderoff.
Sampson said in October he was unaware he was participating in a three-way conversation on nine occasions. He also explained Senderoff was helping recruits reach Sampson, in part because Sampson’s cell phone signal often dropped. Recruits then, Sampson said, would call back Senderoff seeking assistance.
NCAA rules do not prohibit three-way calls, although Sampson’s sanctions did.
Congrats to the no. 24 Vanderbilt Olneys on handing Kentucky the latter’s worst loss in over 8 years. I had no idea a team could lose a basketball game by 41 points without Nate Robinson playing major minutes, but apparently, it can be done.