Report: Progress made in NCAA infractions case vs. Auburn

The Auburn Tigers could see a ruling from the NCAA on alleged infractions, per Sports Illustrated. Auburn has completed its NCAA Committee on Infractions hearing, a hearing in which Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl participated in.

Auburn has not formally acknowledged receipt of a notice of allegations or divulged its contents but voluntarily withheld its men’s basketball program from postseason play in 2020–21, which is an indication that the notice of allegations contained serious charges. This is Pearl’s second journey through the major infractions process. At Tennessee, he received a three-year show cause penalty for violations.

The case against Auburn began with former Tigers assistant Chuck Person being charged with and convicted of accepting bribes to steer pro prospects to an agent and financial adviser. Person was fired, but the case has widened in scope as assistants at Oklahoma State and USC were found to have taken bribes.

Pearl has been at Auburn since 2014 and holds a 138-92 record in his seven seasons with the program. Pearl’s best season at Auburn came in 2018-19, leading the Tigers to the Final Four.

The FBI announced its investigation of college basketball in September 2017 and the first wave of allegations are reaching a critical juncture with four major cases are approaching closure or key milestones. The six teams that appear to have the highest risk of major sanctions are the aforementioned Tigers, as well as NC State, Kansas, Louisville, Arizona and LSU, the four reaching closure or milestones are LSU, Oklahoma State, Auburn and North Carolina State.

Although resolutions to the case are coming, dissatisfaction with the process through the IARP is virtually unanimous from the involved parties: schools, coaches, the NCAA and lawyers. The IARP concept, which came out of the Condoleezza Rice–led committee tasked with suggesting reforms for college basketball, is at risk of being drastically downsized or scrapped altogether due to the disappointment in the concept.

LSU could receive a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA soon as the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Review Process (IARP) is nearing completion on LSU’s long-standing alleged infractions. There has been a lot of back and forth between LSU head basketball coach Will Wade’s council and the committee but the case has still taken months to investigate. 

Closure is anticipated soon on Oklahoma State’s appeal of a postseason ban. Cowboys head coach Mike Boynton recently told The Oklahoman that it is “unfathomable” to still be waiting for a resolution when the appeal hearing transpired during the 2020–21 basketball season.

A ruling is also expected soon for North Carolina State. North Carolina State completed its infractions hearing Aug. 9 and 10.