Sports
NCAA: Six hoops players banned for betting plots
Six former men’s college basketball players at three schools — New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State and Arizona State — participated in gambling schemes that included game manipulation or sharing information with known bettors, the NCAA announced Friday.
Dae Dae Hunter, Dyquavian Short and Jamond Vincent, who played for New Orleans last season, manipulated their performance for betting purposes in seven games, according to the NCAA findings. In all seven games, Hunter, Short and Vincent allegedly lost or attempted to lose by more points than the spread at sportsbooks as part of a conspiracy with outside bettors, the NCAA said.
Two players at Mississippi Valley State, Donovan Sanders and Alvin Stredic, were offered money to throw a Jan. 6, 2025, game against Alabama A&M, according to the NCAA. Sanders also was overheard discussing “throwing the game” ahead of a Dec. 21, 2024, contest against Tulsa, the NCAA found.
Former Arizona State forward B.J. Freeman was found to have shared information with a former teammate who was betting on Freeman’s performance at a daily fantasy site.
Vincent and Stredic denied participating in any gambling schemes when reached by ESPN on Friday. Attempts to reach Short, Hunter, Sanders and Freeman were unsuccessful.
The NCAA permanently revoked eligibility for all six players. None of them is enrolled at his previous school.
In the New Orleans case, the NCAA found that Hunter, Short and Vincent were overheard discussing the alleged scheme before and during a Dec. 28, 2024, game against McNeese State. An unidentified athlete told the NCAA that during a timeout near the end of the contest, Short instructed the player not to score any more points, according to the findings. New Orleans was around a 23-point underdog and lost by 25.
A second unidentified athlete told the NCAA that Short told him a bettor had contacted him on social media about throwing the McNeese State matchup, according to the report. The athlete said that after the game, Short and Hunter met someone about 45 minutes outside New Orleans to pick up cash, according to the NCAA.
Vincent’s texts included screenshots from FanDuel and DraftKings with specific amounts to wager on the McNeese State game, according to the NCAA.
The NCAA also found text messages on Short’s phone in which he and Hunter discussed receiving $5,000 and spoke with a known bettor on Jan. 20, 2025, the day of a game against Northwestern State.
In total, the NCAA found the athletes participated in the scheme against McNeese State, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Southeastern Louisiana, East Texas A&M, Northwestern State and Incarnate Word. New Orleans lost and failed to cover the spread in six of the seven games. The Privateers beat East Texas A&M 82-73 on Jan. 18.
New Orleans suspended Short, Hunter and Vincent in late January.
At Mississippi Valley State, an unidentified men’s basketball player said he overheard teammate Sanders talking on the phone about “throwing the game” against Tulsa, according to the NCAA report. Sanders then asked the player to join the call with the bettor, who wanted to know if other players would participate in the alleged scheme. Sanders later instructed the player to delete their texts, according to the NCAA.
Sportsbooks flagged Mississippi Valley State’s game against Tulsa after a series of large bets came in on the Golden Hurricane to cover the 26-point spread, according to documents obtained by ESPN in an open records request. Mississippi Valley State lost by 45.
The NCAA found that Sanders and Stredic provided information to bettors on a second game, against Alabama A&M on Jan. 6. Sanders told NCAA investigators he and Stredic were offered money to throw that game by another bettor, who told them to play poorly in the first half.
Stredic denied the NCAA’s allegation that he knowingly provided information to individuals that Mississippi Valley State would lose by more points than the spread against Alabama A&M.
“I had nothing to do with it,” Stredic told ESPN on Friday. “I gave the NCAA my phone, and that was it, and then I finished the season.”
Stredic added that he spoke with an FBI agent in recent weeks to discuss the matter.
In its report, the NCAA said the betting handle for the Mississippi Valley State-Alabama A&M game was 3.6 times higher than the average amount wagered on SWAC games.
In all, the NCAA found that Sanders provided inside information to bettors in two games while Stredic did for one.
The NCAA found that former Arizona State guard Freeman gave former Fresno State player Mykell Robinson information before at least four games so that Robinson could bet on his statistics, according to its report. Freeman also gave information to his then-girlfriend before two games so she could wager on his stats.
Robinson and Freeman were teammates at Dodge City Community College in Kansas in 2021-22.
Robinson was one of three athletes the NCAA banned at Fresno State and San Jose State. The NCAA announced in September that Robinson had manipulated his performance for gambling purposes and conspired with two players to bet on his statistics.
ESPN previously reported that an NBA gambling ring placed suspicious bets on men’s college basketball games, including ones involving Mississippi Valley State. Some of the same accounts also placed large wagers on prop bets involving former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.
Rozier was charged last month in a federal indictment with manipulating his performance and providing inside information to bettors. Through an attorney, Rozier has denied the allegations.
Porter admitted to manipulating his performance in an NBA game for the benefit of gamblers. He pleaded guilty to federal charges last year and is awaiting sentencing.
The NCAA said in October that it had opened investigations into potential betting violations by approximately 30 current or former men’s basketball players.
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Transfer rumors, news: Man United consider re-signing former midfielder Garner
Former Manchester United midfielder James Garner is being targeted for a return to Old Trafford, while Chelsea are one of several top European clubs monitoring Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
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TRENDING RUMORS
– Manchester United are keen on bringing Everton midfielder James Garner back to the club next month, the Daily Mail reports. United’s proposed plans to sign a midfielder are expected to accelerate if either Bruno Fernandes or Kobbie Mainoo leave the club in January. While Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson remains United coach Ruben Amorim’s top midfield target, Garner may prove to be a more realistic transfer in the short term. The 24-year-old started his professional career at Old Trafford, where he made just two Premier League appearances. However, he has established himself as a first-team regular at Everton since joining them for £9 million in 2022. With just six months remaining on his contract, Garner could be available for a low transfer fee in the upcoming window.
– Chelsea are monitoring highly-rated Rennes centre-back Jérémy Jacquet, according to The Athletic. The 20-year-old is one of the most sought-after young defenders in European football, having been linked with a host of major clubs in recent months. The Blues are keeping an eye on another Ligue 1 standout in Saint-Etienne forward Djylian N’Guessan, who has been prolific for France at youth level.
– Juventus have shortlisted Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali in their search for a new playmaker, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Italy international remains a top target for Juve, who are expected to be active next month. Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan in 2023, and has another two-and-a-half years left on his contract at the club. Juventus, meanwhile, are also expected to be in the market for a new goalkeeper and a winger in January.
– Wolverhampton Wanderers are considering a winter swoop for MLS goal-machine Sam Surridge, according to talkSPORT. The Nashville striker scored 31 goals in 40 matches last season, catching the eye of Wolves scouts in the process. The West Midlands club are in desperate need of goals, as first-choice forward Jørgen Strand Larsen has scored just once in his last 15 Premier League matches. Surridge’s Nashville deal is set to expire at the end of next year.
– Several Premier League and Championship clubs have enquired to Liverpool over the possibility of signing Trey Nyoni on loan, TEAMtalk reports. While the Reds are undecided whether they want to let him leave the club next month, interest from elsewhere in the promising 18-year-old continues to increase. Ideally, Liverpool would like to find the “perfect move” for Nyoni, but concerns over squad depth could see him stay at Anfield until the end of the season.
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OTHER RUMORS
– Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester United “admire” Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola. (Ekrem Konur)
– Fulham have joined the race to sign Manchester City winger Oscar Bobb in January. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Norway international was also attracting interest from Borussia Dortmund and Crystal Palace. (talkSPORT)
– David Alaba is expected to leave Real Madrid in the summer of 2026. While there have been no formal discussions over his exit, all indications point to the two parties going their separate ways next year. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Tottenham Hotspur want to extend defender Micky van de Ven‘s contract and will offer him improved terms to try and secure a deal. (The Athletic)
– Flamengo are “pushing” to sign Lazio striker Taty Castellanos. A €25m offer has been submitted by the Brazilian club. (Nicolo Schira)
– Roma full-back Zeki Çelik has been offered to Juventus as a free agent for next season by an intermediary. (Nicolo Schira)
– CF Monterrey have agreed a deal to sign FC Cincinnati winger Luca Orellano. (Tom Bogert)
– Porto are targeting a move for West Ham United forward Luís Guilherme in January. (Ekrem Konur)
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