Witness testifies NC State paid recruit $40,000 Izzo denies being part of cover-up

A government witness at a college basketball corruption trial testified Thursday that he made a secret $40,000 payment to the inner circle of a North Carolina State recruit through an assistant coach at the school.

Testifying in federal court in Manhattan, self-described recruitment facilitator

Thomas "T.J." Gassnola told a jury he delivered the money in cash to the coach, Orlando

Early, on a trip to Raleigh, North Carolina, in 2015. He said the coach told him he was going to give it to a personal trainer for highlytouted point guard Dennis

Smith Jr. as way to get it to Smith's family. Business manager Christian Dawkins, former amateur coach Merl Code and former Adidas executive James Gatto have pleaded not guilty to defrauding various colleges by concealing the use of under-the-table payments of up to $100,000 from Adidas in exchange for commitments to programs that were seen as a path to big NBA paydays. Their lawyers haven't disputed payments were arranged in violation of NCAA rules, but they argue the schools never suffered any harm.

Gassnola, 46, is a former Adidas consultant who has pleaded guilty.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo insists he was never part of an effort to cover up allegations of sexual misconduct within the school's athletic department.

The Hall of Famer says the idea that he would be involved "makes me sick."

Izzo says his "lowest point" was an ESPN report last winter that he felt lumped him and Spartans football coach Mark Dantonio in with Larry Nassar, the former Michigan State and Team USA sports doctor imprisoned for child pornography crimes and molesting female athletes.

The NCAA cleared Michigan State of any rules infractions in the Nassar scandal. The basketball and football programs were also cleared of any potential violations related to how sexual assault allegations against their players were handled.

UFC fighters suspended after brawl

UFC fighters Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor are being suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission for a brawl that erupted inside and outside the octagon after their lightweight title fight last weekend in Las Vegas, an official said.

Letters were sent Wednesday informing both mixed martial arts fighters that they will be suspended for at least 10 days effective Oct. 15, commission executive Bob Bennett said Thursday.

A commission investigation is pending and the panel can extend the temporary suspension when it meets Oct. 24, Bennett said.