Southern Miss basketball self-imposes postseason ban
The Southern Miss men's basketball program has self-imposed a postseason ban for this season stemming from an investigation involving former coach Donnie Tyndall.
Southern Miss' postseason ban will include the Conference USA and NCAA tournaments. According to the program, the investigation was related to the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.
Tyndall was the coach at Southern Miss the past two seasons before taking over the same job at Tennessee. Southern Miss acknowledged in November that the NCAA was investigating potential violations in the program. ESPN reported that the potential violations related to improper financial aid to two players, Matt Bingaya and Shadell Millinghaus.
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"I am saddened and extremely disappointed for the members of our men's basketball team, who will not be able to participate in the postseason this year, as well as for our new coaching staff and fans," Southern Mississippi athletic director Bill McGillis said in a statement. "This self-imposed penalty was a painful, but necessary decision based on information gathered during the review process and available to the university at this time."
McGillis informed the team and coaching staff of the decision Tuesday afternoon.
First-year Golden Eagles coach Doc Sadler also discussed the ban on his weekly radio show Tuesday night, according to The Clarion-Ledger.
"Are we disappointed? I think everybody is," Sadler said. "But we're going to deal with it. Meet it head-on and be better because of it."
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Tyndall went 56-17 in his two seasons at Southern Miss, taking the school to two NIT appearances. He replaced Cuonzo Martin, who took the head coaching job at Cal. Tennessee is off to a 11-5 (3-1 SEC) start this season.
Southern Miss is 5-11 (0-5 CUSA) and has lost eight straight games.
- Mike Fiammetta
