Report: 6 schools committed major NCAA violations, but which 6?

Six college basketball programs will be informed they have committed major NCAA violations. Here’s an idea of which programs could be in hot water.

The FBI probe into college basketball’s corrupt underworld of recruiting practices is closing in on a resolution, and some schools may be facing NCAA violations. Six programs are set to receive notice of Level I rules violations this summer according to CBS, setting the stage for some serious penalties for the affected schools.

Stan Wilcox, the NCAA Vice President for regulatory affairs, told CBS Sports that two “high profile” programs would receive notice of their rules violations by early July. The other four schools’ violations are still being sorted out by the investigators, but those should be announced later in the summer.

Level I rules violations are the most serious in the NCAA’s rulebook, and penalties can include cuts in scholarships, bans on postseason play, and penalties against the coaches. Assistants at Arizona, Auburn, Oklahoma State and USC pled guilty to taking bribes from Christian Dawkins and others to steer players to certain schools.

Arizona, Kansas, Louisville, NC State and USC previously said they are being investigated or are under investigation by the NCAA.

At least 20 schools have been caught up in the probe, so the effects on the college basketball world could be wide-ranging in terms of impact. If a few “big name” schools do get hit with severe penalties, it could severely alter the landscape of the sport heading into the upcoming season.

The investigation has been on hold due to the ongoing corruption trial, but now that it is wrapping up NCAA investigators are taking over in the quest to identify potential cheaters. The NCAA clearly wants to take some serious action to combat one of the worst recruiting scandals in college basketball history, so don’t be surprised if the programs who committed Level I violations get hammered.