USC gets probation for scandal
During an early-morning raid 31⁄2 years ago, gun-wielding FBI agents arrested Tony Bland, then the associate head men’s basketball coach at USC, in a hotel room as part of the sprawling investigation into bribery and corruption in the sport.
The saga, which included undercover federal operatives and hidden cameras, finally ended for USC with an 11-paragraph news release from the NCAA on Thursday.
The organization’s infractions committee put the men’s basketball team on probation for two years — the school must develop and implement a rules education program for athletics department staffers during the period — in addition to accepting the self-imposed reduction of two scholarships during the 2018-19 season and significant cuts in the number of recruiting visits.
“This was a comprehensive process and we are looking forward to moving on,” USC head coach Andy Enfield said in a statement.
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