Probe Doesn’t Support Charge
A Big East Conference investigation fails to support Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun’s complaints that his players were pelted with soft drink bottles and racial slurs during a narrow victory over Pittsburgh on Dec. 12 at Pittsburgh.
Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese said Tuesday that interviews with Connecticut coaches and staff, Pittsburgh Athletic Director Steve Pederson, the game officials and security personnel don’t substantiate the charges.
After the top-ranked Huskies scored five points in the final nine seconds to escape with a 70-69 victory, Calhoun complained he was struck twice by flying objects. He also said point guard Khalid El-Amin, a 19-year-old Muslim who is married with two children, drew slurs about his race and background and was struck by a plastic soft drink bottle.
Tranghese doesn’t deny the Huskies were jeered by some in the highly partisan crowd of 6,798, but could find no evidence the remarks were racial.
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