Three former Eastern Michigan men’s basketball student-athletes failed to cooperate with an investigation into possible sports betting violations, according to a decision by the Division I Committee on Infractions.
Former Eastern Michigan athletes no longer have collegiate eligibility
Although student-athletes refusing to cooperate with a particular investigation is a violation of NCAA rules, which could lead to permanent expulsion, the former basketball players no longer have collegiate eligibility.
Jalin Billingsley, Da’Sean Nelson and Jalen Terry, who are no longer with the program, had their phones captured by an enforcement vendor on Jan. 29 as part of an NCAA investigation into suspicious betting on Eastern Michigan’s Jan. 14 game against Central Michigan.
Three former Eastern Michigan men’s basketball student-athletes did not cooperate with an investigation into possible sports betting conduct. https://t.co/GVSrIvycEw
— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) October 24, 2025
Enforcement personnel made numerous requests to interview the student-athletes through their legal counsel after their phones were videotaped, police said findings released Friday.
In January 2025, NCAA enforcement staff received reports from multiple integrity monitoring agencies about suspicious gambling activity in the first half of Eastern Michigan’s Jan. 14 game with Central Michigan.
Integrity Services subsequently determined that “abnormal gambling activity also occurred during two previous games that season,” the Division I Offenses Commission noted.
Former student-athletes commit Level I violations
According to ESPN’s David Purdumsportsbooks discovered suspicious betting odds on the first halves of two other Eastern Michigan games last season: vs. Wright State (December 21) and in Toledo (January 7).
Enforcement staff then contacted the school and launched a joint investigation.
On March 17, the student-athletes’ attorney notified NCAA enforcement personnel that the student-athletes would not participate in the lawsuit and ordered the vendor to destroy the footage.
Due to the behavior of the student-athletes, enforcement staff were unable to determine whether a sports betting violation had occurred. According to the committee, the student-athletes’ uncooperative violations are Level I.
Level I violations in the NCAA are the most serious rule violations.
“If individuals choose not to participate – especially where there are potential integrity concerns – these choices can and will have serious consequences, including a ban on athletics-related activities, loss of eligibility and/or being publicly named in a violation decision,” the commission said in its decision.
Although the Division I Infractions Committee does not currently impose sanctions on student-athletes who have violated NCAA rules, student-athletes who have violated NCAA rules are ineligible and can only be reinstated with the assistance of an NCAA school.
The NCAA is investigating 13 athletes at six schools for alleged gambling violations, including the three former Eastern Michigan players.
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