The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has permanently banned six men’s basketball players from competing in collegiate sports after uncovering three separate betting-related game manipulation schemes involving student-athletes at New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State, and Arizona State.
The banned players, Cedquavious Hunter, Dyquavian Short, Jamond Vincent, Donovan Sanders, Alvin Stredic, and Chatton “BJ” Freeman, are no longer enrolled at their respective universities. According to an NCAA statement released on 7 November (Friday), the athletes manipulated their own performances or provided insider information to bettors for profit.
“These student-athletes deliberately misled investigators,” the NCAA said, confirming that each case involved false or misleading testimony during its probe.
New Orleans players paid $5,000 each to ‘throw games’
Three former New Orleans Privateers players, Hunter, Short, and Vincent, were found to have manipulated their performances in seven games between December 2024 and January 2025, intentionally losing by wider margins than the betting spread.
The NCAA launched an inquiry after a teammate overheard the three discussing plans to “throw” the game on 28 December 2024, and reported it to school officials. Vincent told third parties to wager on the game because “he and his teammates planned to throw it,” according to text messages discovered on his phone. The participants each got $5,000 for taking part in the operation, according to investigators.
Mississippi Valley and Arizona State cases linked to broader betting ring
At Mississippi Valley State, two players—Sanders and Stredic—allegedly shared insider information with third-party bettors across multiple games. Both provided false statements during questioning.
Meanwhile, Arizona State’s BJ Freeman admitted to giving confidential performance data to Mykell Robinson, a former Fresno State athlete who had been suspended earlier this year for manipulating bets. Freeman allegedly gave Robinson insider information four times between November and December of 2024, enabling him to wager on daily fantasy sports (DFS) platforms.
The NCAA confirmed that the Arizona State case is directly linked to its Fresno State investigation, which resulted in lifetime bans for three former players.
An expanding integrity crisis in college basketball
The new bans mark a continuation of a sweeping integrity crackdown. In September, the NCAA announced investigations into 13 former players across six institutions, including Eastern Michigan, North Carolina A&T, and Temple.
In October, three Eastern Michigan players were banned for failing to cooperate with betting probes flagged by monitoring firm IC360. NCAA gambling rules prohibit all wagering by athletes, coaches, or staff on collegiate or professional sports. Since 2023, any athlete found to have manipulated games or leaked insider data faces permanent ineligibility.
NCAA delays betting rule change amid mounting scandals
The bans come as the NCAA delays implementation of a controversial new rule that would allow college athletes and athletic staff to bet on professional sports. Initially slated to take effect 1 November, the rule change was postponed to 22 November following backlash from university officials and lawmakers.
In an earlier interview with SiGMA News, Mark Hicks, NCAA Managing Director of Enforcement, and Clint Hangebrauck, Managing Director of Enterprise Risk Management, acknowledged the challenges of navigating “an ever-evolving ecosystem” of betting risks since the 2018 legalisation of sports wagering in the US.
“It’s an indication of the dangers and realities of sports betting in the United States,” Hicks said. “We have to remain hyper-vigilant as new forms of wagering, like daily fantasy and prediction markets, continue to blur regulatory boundaries.”
Hangebrauck added that inconsistent state regulations complicate enforcement: “We’ve advocated for safeguards such as cross-state data sharing and stronger penalties when bettors harass athletes or solicit insider information.”
Both officials emphasised the need for greater federal consistency, education funding, and responsible gambling safeguards within college campuses.
NCAA introduces player availability reporting for March Madness 2026
To further enhance transparency, the NCAA will implement mandatory player availability reports during the 2026 March Madness tournaments. Division I programs will need to submit availability lists the night before and two hours prior to tip-off, categorising players as “questionable” or “out.” The NCAA says the move will help reduce gambling-related pressures and combat insider leaks.
“Implementing player availability reporting is a major step toward increasing student-athlete protections,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker. The policy, developed with HD Intelligence, mirrors reporting systems already used by the SEC and ACC, which impose fines for inaccurate injury disclosures.
The NCAA’s recent policy shifts have drawn criticism from lawmakers and university leaders. In a letter dated 30 October, US Representative Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and five bipartisan colleagues urged the NCAA to reconsider its rule allowing betting on pro sports, citing potential threats to game integrity. “The timing of the NCAA’s decision raises questions about the integrity of sport,” the lawmakers wrote.
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