30 biggest college basketball scandals of all time

11. Northwestern gets caught shaving points

It must seem tiresome by now, but we have yet another point shaving scandal to sift through. This one involves Northwestern, a school not exactly known for its basketball prowess, having made only one NCAA Tournament appearance in its lengthy history.

The Wildcats’ basketball ineptitude made them a prime target for gamblers such as Brian Irving and Kevin Pendergast. The two men placed large bets against Northwestern covering large point spreads in Big Ten play during the 1994-1995 season, and they were able to recruit two players to help their cause.

Center Dewey Williams and guard Kenneth Dion Lee, the Wildcats’ top three-point shooter that year, were each paid to help the Wildcats lose by bigger margins than the spread for three Big Ten games. The scheme worked in two instances, allowing Lee to get paid $4,000 before he demanded more money for a third game, which wasn’t delivered when Northwestern covered.

The players were indicted for their role in the scheme and each served prison time after being convicted. The Wildcats went just 5-22 that year, so the point-shaving scandal would serve as the spotlight for Northwestern hoops for a long time.

Considering how sterling of a reputation Northwestern has, this scandal came as a massive shock to the sports community. It also speaks to how easy it is to appeal to anyone with cash when they’re in a situation where they aren’t getting enough to make ends meet.