1985 Tulane University basketball point-shaving scandal

Scandal involving student athletes at Tulane University September 2025 September 2025 In early 1985, several individuals, including members of the Tulane Green Wave men's basketball team, were arrested on charges of engaging in a point shaving scheme. Per the allegations, several players, including star player John "Hot Rod" Williams, intentionally manipulated the outcomes of two games (and attempted to manipulate the outcome of a third) for the benefit of several individuals who had placed bets on the games. The scandal is considered one of the most notorious in United States college athletics. According to the state prosecutors, several Tulane University students proposed the point-shaving scheme to members of the basketball team, who agreed. Gary Kranz, a non-athlete student who initiated conversations about the scheme with the players, already had a relationship with several of the players, to whom he had provided cocaine. Prosecutors alleged that the players successfully engaged in point shaving in two games and unsuccessfully attempted to do so in another game. Additionally, there had been discussions of point shaving in a fourth game, though the players opted against this. In total, prosecutors alleged that the players received several thousand dollars for their involvement in the scheme. Ultimately, several individuals pleaded guilty to several counts of conspiracy to commit sports bribery, while Kranz also pleaded guilty to 10 counts of sports bribery. However, Williams took his case to trial, where a jury found him not guilty, resulting in his acquittal. In the immediate aftermath of the scandal, Williams stated that a former assistant coach had paid him several thousand dollars to commit to Tulane and that he had received a weekly stipend from head coach Ned Fowler, in violation of the policy of amateurism in the NCAA. Following this, Fowler and much of the coaching staff resigned and the athletic director announced that he would resign several months later. In response to the scandal, Eamon M. Kelly, Tulane's president, announced that the university would be eliminating its basketball program. It would eventually be revived several years later. Meanwhile, after his court cases came to a conclusion, Williams became a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. Background Point shaving in college basketball Point shaving is a type of match fixing in organized sport wherein one or more players alter the outcome of a game in order to benefit people engaged in spread betting.Andreff 2019 7 In spread betting, people place bets based on previously published point spreads, which are numbers presented by bookmakers that are estimates of the difference in points between the favorites (the team that is projected to win) and the underdogs (the team that is projected to lose.Andreff 2019 7 With point shaving, gamblers will often bribe the favorites in order to not cover the spread, since doing so does not inherently mean that the team needs to lose, but simply win by a smaller margin than predicted by the bookmakers.Andreff 2019 7–8 There have been several high-profile instances of point shaving in basketball, due in part to the fast-paced tempo of the game and the ability of one player to directly manipulate the outcome of a game through intentionally missing shots and drawing fouls.Andreff 2019 8 According to sportswriter Larry Atkins, student athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are inclined to engage in point shaving schemes due to the policy of amateurism in the NCAA, where the athletes are generally not liable to have the types of high-paying contracts found in professional sports.Atkins 2024 47 One of the most well-known point shaving scandals was the 1951 college basketball point-shaving scandal, which saw the arrest of 32 players from multiple universities in the New York metropolitan area in a match fixing scheme dating back to at least 1947.Atkins 2024 47 For the 1952–53 season, the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball program was suspended by the NCAA for their involvement in a gambling scheme.Atkins 2024 47Kudlac 2010 99–100 This marked the first time that the NCAA had applied the "death penalty" to a member institution.Kirkpatrick Curry May 29, 1989 Dodging a Bullet https://vault.si.com/vault/1989/05/29/dodging-a-bullet-kentucky-could-have-received-the-death-penalty-for-basketball-misdeeds-by-cooperating-the-wildcats-stayed-their-execution dead https://web.archive.org/web/20230410175945/https://vault.si.com/vault/1989/05/29/dodging-a-bullet-kentucky-could-have-received-the-death-penalty-for-basketball-misdeeds-by-cooperating-the-wildcats-stayed-their-execution April 10, 2023 September 26, 2025 Sports Illustrated 0038-822X 1766364 As a result of the 1978–79 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal, one player was sentenced to 10 years in prison in what was one of the severest punishments ever leveled against a student athlete.Smith 2011 167Cohen Stanley November 17, 1985 College Sports and Gambling: Union Born of Apathy https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/17/sports/college-sports-and-gambling-union-born-of-apathy.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171123112155/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/17/sports/college-sports-and-gambling-union-born-of-apathy.html November 23, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 2 0362-4331 1645522 Tulane University In 1981, Ned Fowler became the head coach of the Tulane Green Wave men's basketball team at Tulane University in New Orleans.Marcus Frances Frank April 4, 1985 Embarrassment at Tulane https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/04/sports/embarrassment-at-tulane.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171128035323/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/04/sports/embarrassment-at-tulane.html November 28, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 7 0362-4331 1645522Marcus Frances Frank April 7, 1985 Widening Scandal at Tulane Had Unlikely Beginnings https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/07/sports/widening-scandal-at-tulane-had-unlikely-beginnings.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171128052209/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/07/sports/widening-scandal-at-tulane-had-unlikely-beginnings.html November 28, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 5 0362-4331 1645522 Over the next four years, Fowler oversaw several successful seasons, accumulating a win-loss record of 70 45 during that time.July 24, 1987 Sports People; From Tulane to Auburn https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/24/sports/sports-people-from-tulane-to-auburn.html subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20171106031531/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/24/sports/sports-people-from-tulane-to-auburn.html November 6, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 12 0362-4331 1645522 During this time, John "Hot Rod" Williams, a center on the team who played from 1981 to 1985, became a standout player.March 28, 1985 2 More at Tulane Charged in Fix https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/28/sports/2-more-at-tulane-charged-in-fix.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20150524172324/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/28/sports/2-more-at-tulane-charged-in-fix.html May 24, 2015 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 11 0362-4331 1645522 He was widely regarded as one of Tulane's best players, serving as the team's top scorer in three of his four seasons and winning all-conference honors from the Metro Conference in two of those seasons. Williams, who had averaged 17.8 points per game during the 1984–85 NCAA Division I men's basketball season,Marcus Frances Frank April 5, 1985 8 Indicted in Tulane Scandal; School to Give Up Basketball https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/05/sports/8-indicted-in-tulane-scandal-school-to-give-up-basketball.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20250530045502/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/05/sports/8-indicted-in-tulane-scandal-school-to-give-up-basketball.html May 30, 2025 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 1 0362-4331 1645522 was widely expected to be drafted in an early round of the 1985 NBA draft,Teitelbaum 2005 93 with The New York Times projecting that he would be drafted in the first round. The scandal Initial arrests and accusations On the night of March 26, 1985,Mohr Gordon 2001 457 Williams was arrested at his home in Sorrento, Louisiana. That same night, Gary Kranz, a non-basketball playing student at Tulane, was also arrested. Both were charged with violating Louisiana's laws regarding sports bribery, while Kranz was also charged with nine counts of distribution and one count of distribution of cocaine.Mohr Gordon 2001 457 The next day, two more Green Wave basketball players—David Dominique and Bobby Thompson—were also arrested on charges of sports bribery. Following these arrests, Harry Connick Sr., the district attorney for New Orleans, stated that more arrests were possible. All four individuals were ultimately released, with Kranz paying a surety bond and the players released on their own recognizance. The players were accused of engaging in point shaving in two home games: a 64–63 victory against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on February 6 and a 49–60 loss to the Memphis State Tigers on February 20. In the former, Williams scored 15 points, Dominique scored 10, and Thompson did not play, while in the latter, Williams scored 14, Dominique 4, and Thompson 0. In both cases, the Green Wave failed to cover the projected point spread.note For the game against Southern Miss, Tulane was favored to win by 10.5 points. Meanwhile, in the game against Memphis State, Tulane were 4-point underdogs. Per Connick, his office had initially began investigating possible bribery following a tip from Edward Kohnke IV, a local lawyer who had graduated from Tulane and was a supporter of the university's athletics programs. Kohnke said that he had heard about a match fixing scheme from "a source on the street" and personally confirmed his suspicions by contacting several bookmakers, who all stated that they were aware of the scheme. Kohnke later stated that he had first been made aware of the scandal by his brother,Serrill Michael S. April 15, 1985 Sport: the Fix Is On: Tulane basketball is out https://time.com/archive/6711000/sport-the-fix-is-on-tulane-basketball-is-out/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20250929195632/https://time.com/archive/6711000/sport-the-fix-is-on-tulane-basketball-is-out/ September 29, 2025 September 29, 2025 Time 0040-781X 1311479 who told him of a rumor where a Tulane basketball player had alerted a Louisiana State University student that the Southern Miss game had been fixed. In response, Williams stated that he was innocent, while Fowler stated that, based on his review of game footage, he did not believe that the players had engaged in point shaving. In a press conference, the university stated that they had been made aware of the alleged point shaving following a call to one of the basketball team's coaches from a colleague in Georgia, prompting an in-house investigation. The university also stated that they had alerted both the commissioner of the Metro Conference and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to the matter. Subsequent arrests On the morning of March 28, a grand jury began its hearing of the case with testimony from Tulane basketball players.March 29, 1985 5th Tulane Student Arrested https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/29/sports/5th-tulane-student-arrested.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20150524172531/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/29/sports/5th-tulane-student-arrested.html May 24, 2015 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 27 0362-4331 1645522 Most of the basketball players on the team attended, but did not participate in, the hearing, while two players—Clyde Eads and Jon Johnson—testified. These two had been granted immunity from prosecutors in exchange for their testimony.Mohr Gordon 2001 457 Later that day, a fifth student, Mark Howard Olensky, was arrested on several charges, including two counts of sports bribery, two counts of conspiracy to commit sports bribery, and one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Per The New York Times, sources familiar with the case, including Kohnke, stated that cocaine had been distributed to basketball players in order to gain their friendship as part of the point shaving scandal. By April 3, the number of people who had been arrested on charges of bribery related to the scandal had risen to eight. This followed the arrest of a sixth student, David J. Rothenberg, and two non-student New Orleans residents, Craig Bourgeois and Roland Ruiz. That same day, federal investigators announced that they were suspending their operations so as not to interfere with the state case, with United States Attorney John Volz saying, "We are not going to do anything that might adversely affect District Attorney Harry Connick's case". Indictments and further legal developments On April 5, the eight arrested individuals were officially indicted on charges related to the point shaving scandal. Per the indictment, prosecutors alleged that Kranz, Olensky, and Rothenberg, who were all members of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity chapter at Tulane,Malin 2023 108 had initiated the plans for the point shaving scandal. On February 2, the day of the Southern Miss game, Kranz discussed the possibility of point shaving with Eads and Johnson, offering them money that they would earn through betting on the game. Kranz had an existing relationship with Eads and Johnson, as he had previously provided them with cocaine in exchange for basketball gear.Malin 2023 108Finley Finley Fountain 2008 52 However, no players were charged with drug use.June 17, 1986 Williams Acquitted in Tulane Scandal https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/17/sports/williams-acquitted-in-tulane-scandal.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20150524191455/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/17/sports/williams-acquitted-in-tulane-scandal.html May 24, 2015 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 5 0362-4331 1645522 Associated Press Eads and Johnson recruited Dominique, Thompson, and Williams into the scheme. Over the next several weeks, these players successfully engaged in point shaving in games against Southern Miss and Memphis State, for which they received payments of $3,500 ($US 3500 1985 0 c in US) and $13,500 (equivalent to $US 13500 1985 0 c in US), respectively. The indictments also mentioned a third game, a 66–65 loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies on February 16, which had been the subject of investigation. Per reporting from Time, the players had attempted to fix that game but had been unsuccessful. In addition, there had been discussions of fixing the Green Wave's game against the Louisville Cardinals, but the players opted against this, as they wished to win that game.Finley Finley Fountain 2008 52 In total, the players involved in the alleged scheme received approximately $18,000 ($US 18000 1985 -3 c in US),April 29, 1985 Johnson John H. John H. Johnson Tulane Scandal Widens as Charges Involve Eight https://books.google.com/books?id=orADAAAAMBAJ September 25, 2025 Jet Sports Johnson Publishing Company Chicago 47 68 7 0021-5996 1781708Mohr Gordon 2001 457 which was divided between the five of them.Mohr Gordon 2001 457note Sources vary on exactly how much money was received by the basketball players for their involvement in the point shaving scheme. Multiple sources give the figure as approximately $18,000 ($US 18000 1985 -3 c in US).Mohr Gordon 2001 457 However, contemporary reporting from Time gives the figure as at least $19,500 ($US 19500 1985 -3 c in US). Meanwhile, a 2023 book on the subject states that there were multiple estimates ranging between $7,000 and $23,000 ($US 7000 1985 -3 c and ($US 23000 1985 -3 c in US).Malin 2023 108 Concerning Williams specifically, several sources allege different values, including $4,900 ($US 4900 1985 -3 c in US),September 16, 1985 Johnson John H. John H. Johnson 'Hot Rod' Williams Free to Roll with NBA Cavs https://books.google.com/books?id=Z7ADAAAAMBAJ Jet Chicago Johnson Publishing Company 69 1 51 0021-5996 1781708 $5,400 ($US 5400 1985 -3 c in US),Teitelbaum 2005 93 and $8,550 ($US 8550 1985 -3 c in US)Fields 2008 453Kudlac 2010 100 for his involvement. According to Time, the individuals implicated in the scheme could face up to 30 years of imprisonment if found guilty. On April 29, Jet reported that two Tulane students who had been indicted, including one basketball player, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sports bribery, though the publication did not specify the individuals. The magazine also stated that, by that time, both Dominique and Williams had pleaded not guilty to all of their charges. On July 23, a state judge issued an arrest warrant for Ken Turkel, a roommate of Kranz's, concerning his possible involvement in the scheme.July 24, 1985 9th Suspect in Tulane Fix Case https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/24/sports/9th-suspect-in-tulane-fix-case.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171122041957/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/24/sports/9th-suspect-in-tulane-fix-case.html November 22, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 11 0362-4331 1645522 Associated Press University and coaches' responses Coaching resignations On April 5, the same day that the grand jury indicted the arrested, Fowler and two of his assistant coaches—Max Pfeifer and Mike Richardson—had submitted letters of resignation to Eamon M. Kelly, the president of the university. This came after Fowler had admitted to giving cash payments to players on his team in violation of NCAA rules. While Kelly refused to discuss details of the payments, The Times-Picayune/States-Item reported that Williams had told prosecutors during testimony that, as a high school basketball player, he had been paid $10,000 ($US 10,000 1981 0 c in US) by a former assistant coach to recruit him to Tulane and that, during his last season at the university, Fowler had paid him $100 ($US 100 1985 0 in US) weekly. The New York Times later reported that the $10,000 payment had been made by former assistant coach Tom Green, who had since left Tulane to become the head coach for the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, and another unidentified man. None of the coaches were implicated in the point shaving scheme. The university plans to eliminate the men's basketball program In a press conference held on April 5 to discuss both the point shaving scandal and the player payments, Kelly stated that the university had reported the violations to the NCAA and the Metro Conference and that he would be requesting the university's board of administrators to permanently disband the university's basketball program. Kelly stated that the option was "[t]he only way I know to demonstrate unambiguously this academic community's intolerance of the violations and actions we have uncovered", further stating, It's a difficult step for me personally, and a very difficult time for the university. I think it's critical that we do reaffirm the university's primary mission as an academic institution in terms of teaching, in terms of learning and in terms of research, and to indicate our unwillingness to permit this kind of activity in our intercollegiate programs. Kelly also clarified that the university would continue to honor athletic scholarships that had been awarded to members of the basketball team, although by NCAA rule, players who were not involved in the scandal were free to transfer to other schools without having to serve a one-year penalty that was required when transferring at the time since the transfer was from a school that discontinued its program.j thumb|275x275px|Mack Brown (pictured 2019) succeeded Hindman Wall as Tulane's athletic director following the latter's resignation.Vannini Chris May 10, 2023 May 9, 2023 College sports gambling scandals: A brief history from the Brooklyn Five to Brad Bohannon https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4499369/2023/05/09/college-sports-gambling-scandals-history-rules/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20250913224100/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4499369/2023/05/09/college-sports-gambling-scandals-history-rules/ September 13, 2025 September 25, 2025 The New York Times The Athletic 1553-8095 1645522 On April 6, a Tulane athletics booster club organized a march of over 100 people across the university's campus to the president's residence to protest his decision to disband the program.April 7, 1985 Marchers Support Tulane Basketball https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/07/sports/marchers-support-tulane-basketball.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171128042354/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/07/sports/marchers-support-tulane-basketball.html November 28, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 5 0362-4331 1645522 Associated Press The following week, Hindman Wall announced his intention to resign from his position as the university's athletic director, effective at the end of June.April 13, 1985 Sports People; Wall Quits Tulane Post https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/13/sports/sports-people-wall-quits-tulane-post.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171127115610/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/13/sports/sports-people-wall-quits-tulane-post.html November 27, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 44 0362-4331 1645522 Wall, who had held that position since 1976, was not implicated in either the student athlete payment or point shaving scandals but stated that he had become exhausted by the controversies, saying with regards to his resignation, "It's just one of those things - I'm tired". Wall was replaced as athletic director by Mack Brown, the head coach of Tulane's football team. By July 1985, the university had eliminated its men's basketball program,July 14, 1985 Sports People; New Tulane Coach https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/14/sports/sports-people-new-tulane-coach.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171125233656/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/14/sports/sports-people-new-tulane-coach.html November 25, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 9 0362-4331 1645522 which had played its first game in 1905.Malin 2023 109 The elimination made Tulane the only institution in NCAA Division I to support a football program but not a men's basketball program.Malin 2023 109 By this time, the university had also been dropped from the Metro Conference, causing the women's basketball program, which was unaffected by the scandal, to compete as an independent. Legal outcomes By early August, Kranz, Olensky, Rothenberg, and Thompson, had all pleaded guilty to two counts each of conspiracy to commit sports bribery.Marcus Frances Frank August 13, 1985 Ex-Tulane Player Tells Court of Fix https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/13/sports/ex-tulane-player-tells-court-of-fix.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171125075332/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/13/sports/ex-tulane-player-tells-court-of-fix.html November 25, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 19 0362-4331 1645522 Additionally, Kranz also pleaded guilty to 10 counts of sports bribery.July 18, 1985 Kirk Cleared by School https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/18/sports/kirk-cleared-by-school.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171125211727/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/18/sports/kirk-cleared-by-school.html November 25, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 8 0362-4331 1645522 Associated Press However, additional charges of cocaine dealing were dropped after Kranz agreed to testify against Williams.December 17, 1985 Sports People; Kranz Is Sentenced https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/17/sports/sports-people-kranz-is-sentenced.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20220729073022/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/17/sports/sports-people-kranz-is-sentenced.html July 29, 2022 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 16 0362-4331 1645522 Meanwhile, Dominique, who faced the same charges as Williams, was scheduled to go to trial later in the year. Williams's trials Williams's trial commenced on August 12, with the defendant being charged with two counts of sports bribery and three counts of conspiracy to commit sports bribery. The trial was overseen by Judge Alvin V. Oser in a criminal district court. Williams faced a maximum sentence of up to $35,000 ($US 35000 1985 -3 c in US) in fines and 17 years of imprisonment.December 2, 1985 Johnson John H. John H. Johnson La. Court Cools 'Hot Rod' As He Awaits NBA Chance https://books.google.com/books?id=w7ADAAAAMBAJ Jet Chicago Johnson Publishing Company 69 12 47 0021-5996 1781708 I talked to Hot Rod and told him we needed to control the tempo of the game and we needed to lose by more than 10 points and he needed to be very soft on Keith Lee. Bobby Thompson, testifying against Williams on August 12, on his discussions with Williams prior to their February 20 game against Memphis State 300px On the first day of the trial, as part of a plea bargain, Thompson testified against Williams. He spoke about several instances in which the two of them discussed plans to engage in point shaving and also said that he had received money from Kranz that he then distributed to both Dominique and Williams. That same day, Olensky and Rothenberg both stated that they had made bets on games in which they believed that Williams was engaging in point shaving, though in cross examination, Olensky said that he did not have direct knowledge that Williams was engaging in point shaving and that the claims could have been fabrications by Thompson. Over the course of the trial, additional testimony was heard by Kranz, who, along with Olensky and Rothenberg, was participating as part of a plea bargain. Eads and Johnson also participated in the trial with grants of immunity. The same month that the trial began, Judge Oser declared a mistrial and set a date of September 9 for a new trial.September 2, 1985 Johnson John H. John H. Johnson Judge in Hot Rod Williams Case Declares Mistrial https://books.google.com/books?id=nrQDAAAAMBAJ Jet Chicago Johnson Publishing Company 68 25 18 0021-5996 1781708 This decision came after the judge was informed by the defense that they had not been provided information on a piece of evidence provided by the prosecution that consisted of tape-recorded statements made by Johnson. On September 16, Jet reported that the judge declined a second motion for trial, saying that it would amount to double jeopardy for Williams. Following this, prosecutors stated that they planned to appeal the decision to a federal court. On December 2, however, the magazine reported that a judicial panel of three judges in the fourth circuit of the Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal had decided that Williams could stand trial again. On June 16, 1986, Williams was found not guilty by the jury in his second trial, resulting in his acquittal. Later developments In December 1985, Judge Oser sentenced Kranz to three months of jail time, 1,500 hours of community service, and a fine of $45,000 ($US 45000 1985 -3 c in US). By that time, Thompson was still awaiting sentencing, while Dominique's trial date had still not yet been set. In September 1986, Bourgeois and Turkel both pleaded guilty to gambling charges as part of a deal that saw their conspiracy and sports bribery charges dropped.September 9, 1986 Sports People; Two Plead Guilty https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/09/sports/sports-people-two-plead-guilty.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20180203081156/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/09/sports/sports-people-two-plead-guilty.html February 3, 2018 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 22 0362-4331 1645522 Turkel was immediately sentenced to six months of suspension. Ruiz also pleaded guilty.Figone 2012 130 Aftermath Williams's professional career In June 1985, Williams was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association in the second round of that year's draft. Prior to the draft, the commissioner of the NBA, David Stern, released a memorandum that said that Williams, who had been projected to be a first-round pick, could be a risky prospect as a result of the lawsuit.June 18, 1985 Sports People; Williams Rebounding https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/18/sports/sports-people-williams-rebounding.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171125023855/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/18/sports/sports-people-williams-rebounding.html November 25, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 6 0362-4331 1645522 Despite his selection, however, he was unable to sign a contract with the team while his lawsuits proceeded, as the association would not allow a member team to sign a player that had pending legal charges regarding point shaving.Finley Finley Fountain 2008 53 As a result, Williams instead played for the Rhode Island Gulls of the United States Basketball League in 1985. However, during his trials, George Gund III and Gordon Gund, the Cavaliers' co-owners, paid for Williams's legal expenses. Ultimately, Williams had a 13-year career in the NBA,Kudlac 2010 100 spending nine years with the Cavaliers.Teitelbaum 2005 93 Athletics at Tulane thumb|280x280px|Devlin Fieldhouse, home of the Tulane Green Wave men's basketball team, pictured 2025 President Kelly organized the Select Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics, which was charged with investigating and making recommendations on Tulane's involvement in intercollegiate sports.Mohr Gordon 2001 458 The committee was chaired by historian Lawrence N. Powell and included students, alumni, faculty, and members of the athletic department among its members.Mohr Gordon 2001 458 In April 1986, the committee presented its final report, which called for several changes, but stopped short of recommending an abandonment of NCAA Division I status.Mohr Gordon 2001 458–460 The university's decision to voluntarily eliminate its basketball program was not without precedent, as several years earlier, the University of San Francisco had shuttered its basketball program in the wake of a scandal.Smith 1992 143–144 However, at the time that Tulane was undergoing its scandal, San Francisco was planning to revive its basketball team.Vecsey George George Vecsey April 14, 1985 Sports of the Times; College Sports: The Real Corrupters https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/14/sports/sports-of-the-times-college-sports-the-real-corrupters.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20171127142319/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/14/sports/sports-of-the-times-college-sports-the-real-corrupters.html November 27, 2017 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 3 0362-4331 1645522 Similarly, in 1989, Tulane brought back their basketball program,Wojciechowski 2009 37 which would again be affiliated with the Metro Conference. Following the university's announcement, Tulane alumni Avron Fogelman (who was a co-owner of the Kansas City Royals baseball team) stated that he would donate $1 million to the university, with the request that the money be used "to help Tulane's basketball players in the areas of counseling, tutoring, and adjusting to pressures facing today's student-athlete".April 22, 1988 Tulane Basketball Back https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/22/sports/tulane-basketball-back.html subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20150525091847/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/22/sports/tulane-basketball-back.html May 25, 2015 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 22 0362-4331 1645522 Associated Press Perry Clark served as the new head coach.September 12, 1991 Sports People: College Basketball; Tulane Coach Gets a New Contract https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/12/sports/sports-people-college-basketball-tulane-coach-gets-a-new-contract.html subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20150525225536/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/12/sports/sports-people-college-basketball-tulane-coach-gets-a-new-contract.html May 25, 2015 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 14 0362-4331 1645522 Associated PressSmith Timothy W. March 20, 1992a College Basketball; A Long Road Back for Tulane and Coach https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/20/sports/college-basketball-a-long-road-back-for-tulane-and-coach.html subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20180116100834/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/20/sports/college-basketball-a-long-road-back-for-tulane-and-coach.html January 16, 2018 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 9 0362-4331 1645522 Legacy The scandal was one of several to occur during the 1980s, with sportswriter George Vecsey of The New York Times reporting that similar scandals had occurred around the same time at Arizona State University and Clemson University. From a historical perspective, the scandal is one of the most notorious to have ever occurred and has been discussed alongside other historic scandals, including the scandals among several New York area teams and the University of Kentucky during the early 1950s and the 1961 NCAA University Division men's basketball gambling scandal.Atkins 2024 47Kudlac 2010 100Malin 2023 109 Later events that have been compared to the scandal include point-shaving schemes at Arizona State University and Northwestern University during the 1990s,Rosen 1999 261 with both of these later cases resulting in individuals serving prison sentences for their actions.Atkins 2024 47 In a 2023 article in The Athletic, sportswriter Chris Vannini listed the Tulane scandal as among "the most notable betting controversies to hit college sports". According to criminologist Christopher S. Kudlac, Williams was the second most noteworthy college athlete to be implicated in a point shaving scandal, second only to Connie Hawkins.Kudlac 2010 100 According to academic David J. Leonard, the role of cocaine in the scandal prompted changes to the NCAA's drug policies, with NCAA President John Toner commenting that the combination of drug use and gambling among college athletics was a serious concern to the organization.Leonard 2017 115 See also List of match-fixing incidents List of sporting scandals Notes note References Bibliography 30em yes Andreff Wladimir https://books.google.com/books?id=rs2wDwAAQBAJ An Economic Roadmap to the Dark Side of Sport Palgrave Pivot 2019 978-3-030-28479-4 Palgrave Pivots in Sports Economics II: Corruption in Sport Cham, Switzerland 1121096048 Atkins Larry https://books.google.com/books?id=Gr34EAAAQBAJ Foul or Fair?: Ethical and Social Issues in Sports McFarland & Company 2024 978-1-4766-8621-9 Jefferson, North Carolina 1375993860 Fields Sarah K. https://books.google.com/books?id=9RbOEAAAQBAJ Encyclopedia of Sports in America: A History from Foot Races to Extreme Sports Greenwood Publishing Group 2008 978-0-313-34791-7 Nelson Murry R. Murry R. Nelson 2: 1940 to Present Westport, Connecticut 437–476 American Sports, 1980–1989 Figone Albert J. https://books.google.com/books?id=TLZtnH-hUO4C Cheating the Spread: Gamblers, Point Shavers, and Game Fixers in College Football and Basketball University of Illinois Press 2012 978-0-252-09445-3 Urbana, Illinois 1176314894 Finley Peter https://books.google.com/books?id=pn7DEAAAQBAJ Sports Scandals Finley Laura Fountain Jeffrey Greenwood Press 2008 978-0-313-34459-6 Scandals in American History Westport, Connecticut 52–53 Tulane University Drops Men's Hoops 234467772 Kudlac Christopher S. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoTDEAAAQBAJ Fair or Foul: Sports and Criminal Behavior in the United States Praeger 2010 978-0-313-37826-3 Santa Barbara, California 659564262 Leonard David J. https://books.google.com/books?id=sGgmDwAAQBAJ Playing While White: Privilege and Power on and off the Field University of Washington Press 2017 978-0-295-74189-5 Seattle 989063259 Malin L. https://books.google.com/books?id=Ba7PEAAAQBAJ Corruption and Scandal in American Sports: Causes and Consequences Bloomsbury Academic 2023 978-1-4408-7838-1 Jimmy Sanderson New York City 1393303535 107–112 Case 17: Tulane Point-Shaving Mohr Clarence L. Clarence L. Mohr https://books.google.com/books?id=xof4BkbI1DQC Tulane: The Emergence of a Modern University, 1945–1980 Gordon Joseph E. Louisiana State University Press 2001 978-0-8071-2553-3 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 44634243 Porter David https://books.google.com/books?id=WbOIiUacJ7cC Fixed: How Goodfellas Bought Boston College Basketball Taylor Trade Publishing 2002 978-1-4616-0087-9 First Taylor Trade Publishing paperback Lanham, Maryland 820011287 2000 Rosen Charley Charley Rosen https://books.google.com/books?id=zZPIhwF_rUkC The Scandals of '51: How the Gamblers Almost Killed College Basketball Seven Stories Press 1999 978-1-888363-91-3 First Trade Paperback New York City 40602879 1978 Smith C. Fraser https://books.google.com/books?id=RYbRgF4634oC Lenny, Lefty, and the Chancellor: The Len Bias Tragedy and the Search for Reform in Big-time College Basketball Bancroft Press 1992 978-1-61088-001-5 Baltimore 622288409 Smith Ronald A. https://books.google.com/books?id=0JLCHsvmEe0C Pay for Play: A History of Big-Time College Athletic Reform University of Illinois Press 2011 978-0-252-03587-6 Urbana, Illinois 700709008 Teitelbaum Stanley H. https://books.google.com/books?id=dB0ysg0lNlQC Sports Heroes, Fallen Idols: How Star Athletes Pursue Self-Destructive Paths and Jeopardize Their Careers University of Nebraska Press 2005 978-0-8032-0539-0 Lincoln, Nebraska 61808863 Wojciechowski Gene Gene Wojciechowski https://books.google.com/books?id=g42TyP-V5C8C ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game ESPN Books and Ballantine Books Introduction by Bill Bradley 2009 978-0-345-51392-2 New York City 34–39 Too Many Fouls 299706419 Further reading April 22, 1985 Johnson John H. John H. Johnson Tulane Basketball Team Hit By 'Betting' Arrests https://books.google.com/books?id=nbADAAAAMBAJ Jet Chicago Johnson Publishing Company 68 6 47 0021-5996 1781708 June 10, 1985 Johnson John H. John H. Johnson Tulane Star in Scandal Rekindles Hawkins Trial https://books.google.com/books?id=prADAAAAMBAJ Sports Jet Chicago Johnson Publishing Company 68 13 47 0021-5996 1781708 Rhoden William C. William C. Rhoden March 31, 1985 A Betting Scandal Gives Basketball a Black Eye; Tulane Players Were Charged in a Point-Shaving Scheme Last Week https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/31/weekinreview/betting-scandal-gives-basketball-black-eye-tulane-players-were-charged-point.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20220324222430/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/31/weekinreview/betting-scandal-gives-basketball-black-eye-tulane-players-were-charged-point.html March 24, 2022 September 25, 2025 The New York Times 7 0362-4331 1645522 Category:1984–85 NCAA Division I men's basketball season Category:1985 controversies in the United States Category:1985 in sports in Louisiana Category:1985 scandals Category:Cocaine in the United States Category:College basketball controversies in the United States Category:College sports scandals Category:Crimes in New Orleans Category:Sports betting scandals Category:Tulane Green Wave men's basketball Category:History of Tulane University Category:History of sports in New Orleans