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Men's Basketball Under NCAA Investigation

Great timing for this to come out, guys!

Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN report in full:

The South Florida men's basketball program is under NCAA investigation for possible academic fraud issues, multiple sources told ESPN.

Assistant coach Oliver Antigua, the brother of head coach Orlando Antigua, has not been allowed to go out on the road recruiting this month, multiple sources told ESPN.

Orlando Antigua took over in 2014 after spending the previous six seasons under John Calipari -- one at Memphis and five at Kentucky.

Oliver Antigua was previously an assistant for one season at Seton Hall before he was hired to join the USF staff in 2014. He spent more than a decade as the head coach at St. Raymond High in the Bronx.

Orlando Antigua, 43, is 16-47 in his two seasons at the helm at South Florida. The Bulls were 7-24 last season.

I mean if you're gonna cheat, don't be 7-24. Right?

Statement from USF:

The University of South Florida and the NCAA enforcement staff are working together to investigate and resolve an inquiry into potential violations of NCAA bylaws and university standards by one of our intercollegiate athletic programs. Because the University of South Florida is committed to protecting the integrity of the investigation and ensuring those involved receive fair treatment, we cannot provide any details about the investigation at this time.

Men's basketball being investigated hasn't exactly been a secret around campus for awhile now. The NCAA has been sniffing around since Stan Heath was here (remember Terrelle Woody/Gus Gilchrist?), and hiring a top John Calipari assistant isn't going to get them away from you.

USF has traditionally been beyond reproach with these kind of things, with the hammer of justice swift and severe. Looking at you, former men's tennis coach Agustin Moreno.

Sure the timing of this absolutely sucks with Big XII expansion a real thing. But how USF deals with it is the more important factor here. Don't hide, get everything out in the open, and let the facts take you where they take you. And then if anyone gets a show-cause penalty, FIRE THEM. (cc: C. Florida).

An interesting arc in this drama: let's just say it's going to be hard for USF to sell Oliver Antigua as the fall guy when his brother is the head coach. Just saying.

UPDATE: Oliver Antigua has resigned as an assistant coach.