Sports betting allegations involving Alabama State, an HBCU men’s basketball program, have led to permanent NCAA ineligibility for four former Hornets student-athletes.
Alabama State released a statement after the NCAA announced sports betting integrity violations tied to its men’s basketball program. The NCAA report said former Hornets men’s basketball student-athletes engaged in game manipulation for sports betting reasons during the 2024-25 season.
The NCAA identified the former players as Amarr Knox, Shawn Fulcher, Corey Hines and Tony Madlock. The report said all four are no longer part of the Alabama State men’s basketball program. It also said none are currently competing in NCAA college sports.
The school’s statement pushed back on the idea that the institution itself was a party to the case.
“Alabama State University was made aware of an NCAA inquiry in January and has since been notified of the negotiated resolution related to sports betting allegations involving former Hornet men’s basketball student-athletes,” the statement read.
“Although the institution is not a party to this case, it fully cooperated with the NCAA throughout this matter.”
NCAA says violations centered on Southern Miss game
According to the NCAA report, the matter began after Temple notified NCAA enforcement staff in July 2025 that Corey Hines had been contacted by the FBI. Hines had transferred to Temple after his time at Alabama State. The NCAA said the FBI showed Hines text messages related to a sports integrity issue from his time with the Hornets.
The NCAA said Knox told enforcement staff that Fulcher added teammates to a group chat in December 2024 with a known bettor. The bettor allegedly offered money for the team to throw its game against Southern Mississippi the next night.
The report said Knox, Fulcher, Hines and Madlock later joined a FaceTime call with the bettor on the morning of the game. The NCAA said the group agreed on that call to throw the game.
Knox reported that the four players received a total of $2,000 from a second known bettor for throwing the game, according to the NCAA. Each athlete’s ethical conduct violation was classified as Level I.
Fulcher and Hines were also cited for failure to cooperate. The NCAA said both provided false or misleading information during the investigation.
Alabama State says compliance remains priority
The case also has a legal backdrop. The NCAA report said Fulcher and Hines were indicted in January 2026 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The charges included bribery in sports wagering contests, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Madlock, who had exhausted his eligibility, declined to participate in an NCAA interview. Knox was the only former student-athlete who agreed to his violations, according to the NCAA.
Alabama State closed its statement by emphasizing its commitment to compliance.
“Alabama State University, its athletics program, and its personnel remain committed to integrity and compliance and will continue to operate with transparency.”
The report is another reminder that sports betting has become one of the biggest integrity concerns in college athletics. For Alabama State, the NCAA findings bring a serious matter into public view while the HBCU attempts to separate the institution from the actions of former student-athletes.