The NCAA announced on Friday that three former men’s basketball players from Eastern Michigan University, Jalin Billingsley, Da’Sean Nelson, and Jalen Terry, have declined to cooperate with an investigation into potential sports betting violations related to several games from the 2024-25 season. This investigation was initiated following suspicious betting activity linked to Eastern Michigan’s game on January 14 against Central Michigan.
On January 29, the NCAA imaged the players’ phones as part of this inquiry, but they have since refused to be interviewed. Through their legal counsel, the players informed the NCAA that they would not participate in the investigation and requested that the images of their phones be destroyed.
The NCAA has stated that not cooperating with investigations constitutes a violation of its rules and can lead to serious penalties, including the loss of eligibility for athletes. However, it is noted that the three players do not possess any remaining eligibility. Due to their lack of cooperation, the NCAA enforcement staff faced challenges in determining whether any violations occurred.
The Division I Committee on Infractions emphasized that such non-compliance, especially in investigations concerning the integrity of college sports, would lead to serious repercussions, potentially including bans from athletic activities and public scrutiny over infractions.
Furthermore, sportsbooks had flagged unusual betting patterns regarding the first halves of three games involving Eastern Michigan over the past season: against Wright State on December 21, at Toledo on January 7, and against Central Michigan on January 14. In all three games, the Eagles were trailing at halftime, raising further suspicions about potential betting irregularities.
Terry, who was the leading scorer for Eastern Michigan with an average of 16.6 points per game last season, alongside Nelson, who averaged 16.1 points and was the top rebounder, have both pursued careers elsewhere, with Nelson signing a contract with Swiss champions Fribourg Olympic in July.
This investigation is part of a broader scrutiny by the NCAA, which is currently looking into gambling violations involving 13 athletes across six different schools. The outcome of this investigation may significantly impact the perception of integrity in college basketball and the ongoing discourse surrounding sports betting in higher education.