Missouri Basketball Announces NCAA Violations: Latest Details and Reaction

The University of Missouri announced the results of an internal investigation into its men's basketball program Wednesday, which found that major NCAA infractions were committed between 2011 and 2014. Missouri athletic director Mack Rhoades released a statement announcing the news:

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We have already taken many proactive steps to address concerns, including appropriate self-imposed sanctions. We will win at Mizzou and do so with integrity and class. I am satisfied the University fully cooperated with the NCAA and will continue to do so. We must do better and we will. Our working relationship with the current men's basketball staff is strong and I am confident in their commitment to upholding our standards and values for Mizzou Athletics.

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As a result of the investigation, Missouri will vacate its entire 2013-14 season, strip itself of two scholarships—one in 2015-16 and another coming before 2017-18—and institute a postseason ban for this season. The program has also placed unspecified recruiting restrictions on its current coaching staff and will not receive any revenue from the 2016 NCAA or SEC basketball tournaments.

According to the release, investigators found a donor provided impermissible benefits to four players—three active players and one recruit—by falsely categorizing them as summer intern employees. The donor provided cash, iPads, meals and other minor benefits that violated NCAA bylaws. 

Another donor is said to have given student-athletes a reduced rate at a hotel, provided transportation to the facility and offered players access to a boat. Other minor violations include a donor illegally contacting a recruit, the payment of a meal for a coach and a former assistant helping a student-athlete's mother find housing by putting her in contact with a booster.

Missouri and the NCAA conducted their investigation over the last 19 months.

The program's violations came under Frank Haith, who controversially left the major conference program for the AAC's Tulsa Hurricanes in 2014. Prior to his time in Missouri, Haith had attempted to cover up violations while he was the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes. That news, which resulted in a five-game suspension, helped hasten Haith's exit by fracturing his relationship with Missouri.

Kim Anderson took over for Haith, leading the Tigers to a 9-23 record last season. Anderson released a statement on the findings through the school:

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We are obviously very disappointed that the actions of a few individuals have put our program in this situation. However, I am appreciative to Mack Rhoades and our staff for their guidance and support throughout this process. I hurt for our kids more than anything and for our only senior Ryan Rosburg in particular, but I am confident we will overcome this and be stronger as a team and as a staff because of it.  We are committed to representing this great university and state with honor and integrity and that's what we are going to do.

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Haith's lawyer Scott Tompsett also provided a statement, per Kelly Hines of the Topeka World:

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Statement from Frank Haith's lawyer, Scott Tompsett of Kansas City pic.twitter.com/Ec1banLu4J

— Kelly Hines (@KellyHinesTW) January 13, 2016"

As it stands, the postseason ban is unlikely to hurt Missouri in the interim. The Tigers are just 8-8 so far this season and have dropped two of their three SEC contests. Ken Pomeroy's advanced metrics rank them as the 179th-best team in the country. Given the sad state of the program, it'll be interesting to see if the NCAA enacts its own, harsher penalties that have a more lasting effect.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.