NCAA announces penalties against Auburn in ethical conduct investigation

The NCAA released the results of its investigation into Auburn basketball Friday morning.

The investigation, which started as part of the 2017 FBI scandal, surrounded former Auburn associate head coach Chuck Person, who allegedly accepted $91,500 in bribes. Person also “provided inducements and benefits to two men’s basketball student-athletes and their families,” according to the NCAA.

Tigers coach Bruce Pearl is suspended for two games, starting immediately. There are also multiple other penalties the NCAA announced in its release.

Here’s the full list of infractions, according to the NCAA.

• Four years of probation.
• A 2020-21 postseason ban for the men’s basketball team (self-imposed).
• A $5,000 fine plus 3% of the men’s basketball program budget.
• A reduction of one scholarship during the 2020-21 academic year (self-imposed). The program must reduce the total number of scholarships by two during the term of probation.
• A reduction in the number of official visits in men’s basketball to 20 during the 2017-18/2018-19 rolling two-year period (self-imposed).
• A ban on unofficial visits for 19 weeks during the 2017-18 academic year (self-imposed).
• A ban on recruiting phone calls for a 20-week period during the 2017-18 academic year (self-imposed).
• A reduction in the number of recruiting person days in men’s basketball by 82 days during the 2017-18 academic year (self-imposed).
• A 10-year show-cause order for the former associate head coach. During that period, any NCAA member school employing him must restrict him from any athletically related duties unless it shows cause why the restrictions should not apply.
• A one-year show-cause order for the former assistant coach. During that period, any NCAA member school employing him must restrict him from any athletically related duties unless it shows cause why the restrictions should not apply.
• A two-game suspension for the head coach during the 2021-22 academic year immediately following the release of the panel’s decision.
• A vacation of all team records in which student-athletes competed while ineligible.

Person coached at Auburn from 2014-17 after 13 years in the NBA and coaching in Korea. He was arrested in 2017 as part of the FBI corruption scandal and sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service.

Auburn is 7-1 so far this season, only losing to UConn in double overtime in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Tigers take on Nebraska Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Pearl won’t be on the sideline for that game or Auburn’s Dec. 14 game against North Alabama.

SEC play gets rolling on Dec. 29 when the Tigers take on LSU at Auburn Arena.