ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The head basketball coach for the University Of New Mexico, Richard Pitino, has given his feedback about the most recent New Mexico State University basketball team hazing scandal. He reacted to the scandal saying, “I’ve never seen anything like this, it just breaks my heart. Hopefully, they get to kind of the bottom of it and, you know, not much more than that.”
After videos of the Lobo basketball team were incorrectly shown during reports, UNM quickly gained national attention. Pitino says he doesn’t think the mix-up was damaging but he does want people to pay closer attention to who is on screen.
Last week, following hazing allegations NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu, forced the university to cancel the remainder of the basketball season. According to a report released by NMSU Police, a freshman player told investigators he had been the victim of hazing since July, including an incident on February 6 when three teammates allegedly held him down, slapped him on the buttocks, and touched his genitals. The player told police the assaults happened in front of the whole team but no one intervened. The report suggests a second freshman player may have also been subject to hazing.
Right now, Coach Greg Heiar and the coaching staff are still employed but remain on paid leave.
