TUCSON, Ariz. - The University of Arizona confirmed to KGUN9 that the NCAA is investigating its men's basketball program.
KGUN9 requested correspondence between the NCAA and university regarding the investigation, but the UA denied the request, citing confidentiality concerns.
In a June 28 response to an April 24 public records request, UA public records coordinator Teri Bentson wrote "Investigations into the University of Arizona men's basketball program are ongoing at this time. For that reason, pursuant to the balancing test established by the Arizona courts to protect either the confidentiality of information, the privacy of persons, or a concern about a disclosure detrimental to the best interests of the State, any potentially responsive records must be withheld."
The program has been under a national spotlight after the FBI arrested then UA assistant coach Emanuel "Book" Richardson on bribery charges.
Richardson received three months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
Richardson, who must surrender to authorities July 18, was one of four NCAA men's basketball assistant coaches arrested and charged with fraud and corruption in 2017 following a federal investigation that began in 2015.
Since the FBI investigation began, Arizona basketball's name has been brought up several times, with claims that Richardson, aspiring agent Christian Dawkins and head coach Sean Miller were involved in discussing paying potential recruits, including Deandre Ayton.
In the 2017-2018 season, Miller claimed he never had a conversation related to paying Ayton.
On April 19, it was decided that Miller would not testify in the related bribery trial of Christian Dawkins and former Adidas consultant Merl Code. Both were convicted on bribery conspiracy charges.
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