Ypsilanti, Michigan – The NCAA announced on Friday that three former players from the Eastern Michigan men’s basketball team have declined to cooperate with its investigation into suspected sports betting activities associated with the team. This investigation focuses on several games from the 2024-25 season, including a noteworthy matchup against Central Michigan on January 14.
In January, the NCAA took the step of examining the personal phones of former players Jalin Billingsley, Da’Sean Nelson, and Jalen Terry as part of their inquiry into unusual betting behavior. However, these players subsequently decided not to take part in interviews and later communicated through their legal representatives that they would not engage with the NCAA’s investigation. They also requested the deletion of the phone images that were collected during the inquiry.
The NCAA has classified the lack of cooperation as a violation of its rules, which can lead to serious consequences, including the potential loss of eligibility for those involved. However, since these three players have already completed their eligibility, the immediate effects may not apply to them. Nonetheless, the NCAA indicated that their non-cooperation has complicated the investigation, leaving enforcement staff unable to ascertain whether any violations actually took place.
According to the NCAA’s Division I Committee on Infractions, “When individuals choose not to cooperate — particularly when cases involve potential integrity issues — those choices can and will be met with serious consequences.”
As of now, this investigation is not isolated to Eastern Michigan; a total of 13 athletes across six different institutions are being looked at by the NCAA for similar allegations of sports wagering violations. This is an evolving situation that is drawing attention as it unfolds.
In their last season with the Eagles, Terry led the team in scoring with an average of 16.6 points per game, while Nelson averaged 16.1 points and has since signed a contract with Fribourg Olympic Basket in Switzerland.
As the NCAA continues its investigation, the implications and potential outcomes will be closely watched by fans, athletes, and the larger college sports community.
