30 biggest college basketball scandals of all time

29. Michigan State’s reaction to the Larry Nassar scandal

Most of the nation was captivated a year ago by the trial of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for various sex crimes he committed against underage girls. Nassar had access to the girls through his role with Team USA, but he also spent a long time employed as a physician at Michigan State.

Although there was no clear connection between Nassar and the Spartans’ highly successful basketball program, the calamity of the crimes Nassar committed prompted investigations into the schools’ other athletic programs. The allegations that emerged against both the football and basketball teams were highly disturbing.

A very thorough report by ESPN’s Outside the Lines found several incidents of domestic and sexual abuse involving the Spartans’ basketball team. One occurred back in 2010, when former player Travis Walton (who was serving as an assistant under Tom Izzo at the time) assaulted a woman at a bar, resulting in her getting a concussion among other injuries.

Walton was arrested for the incident, but he was allowed to travel while his case was pending and the charges were eventually dropped by prosecutors. The report also detailed an incident involving another woman and Spartans’ players Adreian Payne and Keith Appling, who were recruits at the time.

This incident reportedly ended with a sexual assault, but charges were never filed against either player. The report led to increased scrutiny for Michigan State and Izzo, who wore teal ribbons for the rest of the 2018 season in support of sexual assault survivors, but there were no actual consequences leveled at the program.