KNOXVILLE – With its football program already going through an NCAA investigation, the University of Tennessee men’s basketball program also is being probed by college athletics’ governing body, multiple sources told the Times Free Press on Thursday night.
NCAA officials are looking into at least one potential problem for the Volunteers: excessive contact between coaches and recruits.
Multiple sources said the NCAA has spoken with at least UT head coach Bruce Pearl and assistant Tony Jones. Neither coach could be contacted for comment Thursday night.
UT officials said the NCAA hasn’t sent an official letter of inquiry to the school regarding its football or men’s basketball program, but men’s athletic director Mike Hamilton has said more than once, including Thursday, that he anticipates a letter for football at some point.
UT has scheduled a news conference for this afternoon that will include Pearl and Hamilton to discuss the letter of inquiry the NCAA has sent the Vols program.