Two HBCU basketball players are among the six players banned by the NCAA for their participation in illegal gambling schemes. The NCAA announced the findings of its investigation, which flagged Mississippi Valley State players Donovan Sanders and Alvin Stredic as engaging in game manipulation during the 2024-2025 season.
Per the report, Sanders and Stredic were both offered money to throw a game against SWAC rival Alabama A&M on January 6th. They were allegedly offered money and told to throw the first half of the game by a bettor
Sanders was reportedly heard on a phone call with a bettor discussing throwing a game against Tulsa on December 21, 2024 by an unidentified teammate. Sanders allegedly asked the player to join the call with him to confirm if other players were willing to cooperate with the scheme. Sanders instructed the player to delete the text messages pertaining to the situation.
ESPN reached out to both Sanders and Stredic, and both denied the report's findings.
“I had nothing to do with it. I gave the NCAA my phone, and that was it, and then I finished the season,” Stredic said in a comment obtained by ESPN, also sharing that he's been in contact with the FBI about the occurrence.
Mississippi Valley State acknowledged the NCAA report and confirmed its cooperation with the investigation in a release shared on its official school social media accounts.
“The university has fully cooperated with the NCAA's investigation throughout this process and is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity in its athletic programs,” the statement read. “The university takes these matters seriously and uses them as an opportunity to reinforce with all student-athletes the importance of adhering to NCAA regulations regarding sports wagering, which are in place to protect the integrity of collegiate sports and the well-being of student-athletes.”
