NEW ORLEANS – Four players from the University of New Orleans have been suspended since late January while under investigation for potential NCAA violations concerning sports betting, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The source requested anonymity because the university’s public announcement only cited an unspecified breach of team rules as the suspension’s reason.
James White, Jah Short, Dae Dae Hunter, and Jamond Vincent have been absent from the Privateers’ games since their defeat to Incarnate Word on January 27. The nature of their suspensions was initially reported through a social media entry by college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman.
The New Orleans team, holding a record of 4-25 overall and 2-16 in the Southland Conference, has encountered eight consecutive losses following these suspensions. Their next scheduled game is against UT Rio Grande Valley this coming Saturday.
This revelation in New Orleans surfaces shortly after a similar probe at Fresno State, which saw two of its leading men’s basketball players sidelined on Saturday and a third dismissed from the team amid speculation concerning gambling investigations. Fresno State’s statement indicated that Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins were “being withheld from competition as the university reviews an eligibility matter,” providing no extra details.
Furthermore, Mykell Robinson, absent from play since January 11, is no longer with the Fresno State team, according to ESPN.com reports. An internal investigation was initially reported by The Fresno Bee, leading to the involvement of the NCAA, which has launched its probe into the matter.
Fresno State, with a 5-23 record overall and 1-16 in the Mountain West Conference, has set a new school record for losses in a single season. They attempted to break a nine-game losing streak against Air Force on Saturday but were narrowly defeated with a score of 72-69. Weaver, before suspension, was the team’s leading scorer with 12.5 points per game and topped the assist charts with 4.7 per game. Collins had been averaging 12.0 points, while Robinson contributed 10.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game prior to his departure.
