Ex-Iona Player Njie Ruled Ineligible in Point-Shaving
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- Adam Njie Jr. was ruled ineligible by the NCAA on Thursday for sharing information with known bettors ahead of two Iona games in December 2024 during his freshman season.
- Njie admitted telling a bettor he would throw the first half of a Dec. 1, 2024 game against Rice, but told investigators he did not go through with the plan.
- The Mississippi Gaming Commission reported to the NCAA that a bettor placed three bets totaling $15,500 on Rice to cover the first-half spread; the game was tied at halftime and Iona covered, causing all three bets to lose.
- NCAA investigators found evidence a bettor threatened Njie with physical harm after the Rice game and that they planned to fix Iona's next game against Sacred Heart — but Iona trailed by 19 at halftime and failed to cover that spread as well.
- Njie transferred from Iona to Dayton in 2025 and was held out of games all of last season amid the investigations; he was not among the athletes charged in the federal indictment and transferred to Hampton in May.
- The bettors tied to Njie's case were among six men described as 'fixers' by the Department of Justice in a sweeping indictment released Jan. 15 that has ensnared dozens of college basketball players.
Why it matters: Njie was ruled ineligible despite maintaining he never actually fixed a game — both the Rice and Sacred Heart contests produced outcomes opposite to what bettors wanted, meaning the $15,500 in wagers on Rice lost and Iona failed to cover against Sacred Heart. His case underscores that the NCAA will impose penalties based on intent and information-sharing alone, even when no federal charges result and the alleged plot fully failed on the court.
