Ex-Eastern Michigan players refused to participate in betting probe

three former men’s basketball players eastern michigan The NCAA announced Friday that it declined to participate in an investigation into potential sports betting violations involving multiple Eagles games in the 2024-25 season.

Jalin Billingsley, Da’Sean Nelson and Jalen Terry, who are no longer with the program, had their phone photos taken on January 29 as part of an NCAA investigation into questionable betting on the January 14 Eastern Michigan game. Central MichiganAccording to the findings released on Friday. According to the release, the players declined to be interviewed and later informed the NCAA through legal counsel that they would not participate in the investigation and asked for the phone imaging to be destroyed.

Refusal to participate in the investigation is a violation of the NCAA and may result in permanent loss of eligibility. All three players have no eligibility remaining.

The NCAA stated that, due to the lack of cooperation, enforcement staff were unable to determine whether sports betting violations occurred.

“When individuals choose not to cooperate – particularly when cases involve potential integrity issues – those choices may face serious consequences, including a ban on athletic-related activities, loss of eligibility and/or being publicly named in a violation decision,” the Division I Committee on Violations said in the release.

Billingsley, Nelson and Terry could not be reached for comment Friday.

Sportsbooks discovered suspicious betting in the first half of three Eastern Michigan games last season: vs. Wright State, Dec. 21; in Toledo, January 7, and in Central Michigan, January 14. In each instance, sportsbooks saw unusual betting interest against Eastern Michigan in the first half. The Eagles trailed at the end of the first half in each game.

Terry led the team in scoring last season, averaging 16.6 points per game, while Nelson scored 16.1 points per game and was the Eagles’ leading rebounder. Nelson and Terry played together at DePaul before transferring to Eastern Michigan. Nelson signed with Swiss champions Friborg Olympique in July.

The NCAA is investigating 13 athletes at six schools for alleged gambling violations, including three former Eastern Michigan players.