Tennessee’s Bruce Pearl acknowledges giving false information to NCAA during investigation

Tennessee’s Pearl acknowledges he misled NCAA

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl has acknowledged providing misleading and incorrect information to the NCAA during a 17-month investigation into possible recruiting violations.

Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton is reducing Pearl’s pay by $1.5 million over five years and prohibiting him from participating in off-campus recruiting for one year.

Hamilton said Friday that Pearl provided the information while being interviewed in June about allegations of excessive phone calls made to recruits. Pearl notified officials three weeks later that he had provided the incorrect information.

The university received a letter from the NCAA on Friday, notifying the Volunteers of an official investigation into the entire athletic department, including possible recruiting violations under former football coach Lane Kiffin.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee has received official notice from the NCAA of an investigation into possible recruiting violations by the men’s basketball program.

Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton, Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and coach Bruce Pearl called a 3 p.m. Eastern news conference to discuss the NCAA letter of inquiry they received on Friday.

The NCAA has talked to Pearl and associate head coach Tony Jones while looking into possible excessive contact with recruits.

The NCAA has also interviewed current and former Tennessee football coaches and recruits as part of a separate investigation into possible allegations under former football coach Lane Kiffin. The university has not received a formal letter of inquiry from the NCAA about that investigation.