Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard began a two-game suspension Tuesday night, putting a damper on the start to one of the most highly anticipated seasons for the Pirates in decades.
Willard was suspended for Tuesday's exhibition game against Misericordia and the Nov. 5 regular season opener against Wagner.
The two-game, university-imposed ban is in response to an NCAA investigation into allegations of transfer tampering, according to multiple reports. The New York Post reported that the probe involves junior forward Taurean Thompson, who transferred from Syracuse to Seton Hall, in 2017.
Assistant coach Grant Billmeier is filling in for Willard during the suspension, although Willard will still run practices between the two games.
The university's athletics department released a statement Tuesday saying: "Seton Hall University has been working collaboratively with the NCAA enforcement staff to address an infraction within our men’s basketball program. Our department has been proactive in our review and has been fully cooperating with the NCAA enforcement staff. As head coach, Coach Willard assumes responsibility for the program, including this underlying violation, and has agreed to sit out the October 29 exhibition contest and the November 5 game. This matter is still in review, and as a result, we will refrain from commenting any further until it is resolved. Seton Hall is and always will be committed to a culture of compliance, and we will continue to work diligently to ensure it."
Seton Hall was picked in the preseason coaches poll to win the Big East this season. The Pirates are ranked 12th in the Associated Press preseason Top 25.