Regents to discuss UA men’s basketball

Update expected on FBI probe into corruption

The Arizona Board of Regents has called an executive-session meeting for Thursday to discuss the University of Arizona’s men’s basketball program after allegations surfaced in federal court about money being offered to recruits.

The regents, who oversee the state universities and approve head coaching contracts, have scheduled for 11 a.m. at Arizona State University’s downtown Phoenix campus a meeting to receive “legal advice and discussion.”

“We always knew we would need to monitor things closely as the judicial proceedings elsewhere proceeded. We are now convening for another update in the wake of the trials that were carried out within the past several weeks,” Regent Jay Heiler said in an interview with The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.

Regents are expected to get an update from UA President Robert C. Robbins. The meeting is closed to the public, and the board is not scheduled to take any action after the meeting.

The closed-door meeting comes after new information surfaced recently in the first of three federal court trials related to a 2017 FBI probe into corruption in college basketball. Last week, a federal jury in New York found three men guilty of fraud for channeling secret payments to the families of toptier recruits to influence their choice of schools, apparel companies and agents.

During the trial, former Arizona Associate Head Coach Joe Pasternack was accused of offering $50,000 to try to recruit Brian Bowen to play for the Wildcats.

Bowen’s father testified in court that business manager Christian Dawkins told him of the offer. Dawkins was one of three men convicted in the trial last week of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for funneling money and recruits to Louisville and Kansas.

ESPN also reported earlier this week that Dawkins wrote of a plan to pay Arizona standout Rawle Alkins and his family $50,000 while he played for the university last season.

ESPN reported that Dawkins sent an email to partner Munish Sood on Sept. 5, 2017, that detailed a plan to pay Alkins. The aspiring agent planned to pay Alkins $2,500 a month from September 2017 through April 2017, plus another $30,000 in travel expenses for Alkins’ family.

The report linked Dawkins to Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller via phone records. Phones registered to Dawkins and Miller were connected multiple times between May 3 and July 2, 2017, ESPN reported, citing evidentiary files obtained from the federal trial. Thirteen calls lasted five or more minutes.

Michael Schachter, one of the defense attorneys in the trial, had unsuccessfully tried to enter into evidence the fact that the FBI did not record a handful of calls between Miller and Dawkins, ESPN reported, even though the attorney said Miller was listed as a “target” of the FBI wiretaps.

Arizona issued a statement Sunday that it was reviewing information that has surfaced since the trial concluded last week:

“The University of Arizona is aware of the information that has appeared in media reports regarding the just completed trial in New York,” the statement said.

“We are continuing to review the matter and will take such steps as are deemed necessary and appropriate based upon credible and reliable evidence. Out of respect for the judicial and administrative processes involved, we have no further comment at this time.”

Miller, the head coach, has not been accused of any wrongdoing by prosecutors.