Indiana University supports most of NCAA findings in Sampson case

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana University believes there is enough evidence to show former coach Kelvin Sampson provided false and misleading information to investigators, didn't appropriately monitor his staff and failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance during his 1½-year tenure at the school.

The revelations were made in a 96-page case summary detailing the NCAA's four major accusations against Sampson, his staff and the Hoosiers. The report was sent to the school last week and was released publicly Thursday after the Associated Press made a Freedom of Information request.

University officials agreed with most of the facts outlined by the NCAA although they only acknowledged there was enough evidence to support the charges of providing false and misleading information to investigators and contended some of the violations should be classified as secondary.

Athletic department officials declined comment Thursday through spokesman J.D. Campbell. Campbell has said nobody from the university will comment until after Indiana's hearing before the infractions committee next week in Seattle.

The Milwaukee Bucks said Sampson, who is now an assistant to Scott Skiles, was not available for comment Thursday. In an introductory news conference in Milwaukee last month, Sampson said he wouldn't discuss the circumstances surrounding his exit from Indiana until after the NCAA hearing.

The report provides new details into allegations that first rocked the Hoosiers' men's basketball program in October. Among the evidence in the report is a series of interview transcripts from recruits, their parents or coaches, painting a picture of how the calls transpired.

Sampson contends he was unaware he was participating in three-way calls.

After IU, Kelvin Sampson landed an assistant gig with the Bucks. (Getty Images)

"I don't want to give you misinformation, but I believe, uh, uh, uh, I would believe that coach (Rob) Senderoff called me, you know, and that's when they started to flop the phones, you know," recruit DeJuan Blair told NCAA investigators on Dec. 11. "They were both on the phone, I'm, they both was on the phone talking, we all was on the phone."

Sampson has repeatedly denied any intentional wrongdoing and sent his own response to the NCAA last month, arguing he was never given a fair chance to make his case.

He and his staff are accused of making more than 100 impermissible calls, and Sampson has continued to say he was forthcoming with investigators. He accepted a $750,000 buyout to leave the school in February.

Former Indiana assistants Rob Senderoff and Jeff Meyer, who also were implicated in the scandal, are no longer at the school, and Sampson's other two assistants, Dan Dakich and Ray McCallum, also have left Indiana.

The school initially reported the infractions as secondary violations, but the NCAA upgraded the charges to major violations because there were so many calls during the 12 months Sampson faced recruiting restrictions for a previous phone-call scandal at Oklahoma.

This time, at least seven recruits told NCAA investigators they participated in three-way calls with Sampson, while the mothers of two players said they also took part in three-party calls, which were banned as part of Sampson's punishment.