The United States Air Force Academy has suspended head men's basketball coach Joe Scott indefinitely pending an investigation into the treatment of cadet-athletes, the program announced Saturday.
As reported by Cameron Salerno for CBS Sports, no other details about the nature of the investigation — or what prompted it — were provided.
"In response to today's action, I will fully cooperate with the investigation and look forward to a proper resolution of this matter," Scott said in a statement. "I will not have any further comment until the matter is resolved."
Air Force assistant Jon Jordan served as interim coach during Saturday's home game against Nevada, which the Falcons lost 81-66. Air Force is 3-15 (0-7 Mountain West) and riding an 11-game losing streak. The team's last win came against IU Indianapolis on Nov. 23.
As reported by Marissa Kraus of The Denver Gazette, Scott is in the sixth year of a second stint as Air Force head coach after also coaching from 2001-2004. His first run concluded with the program’s lone Mountain West regular-season championship, after which he departed to lead his alma mater Princeton.
Scott has yet to produce a winning season in his second stint, Kraus reported. The Falcons have been outscored by an average of more than 20 points per game in seven conference losses.
Air Force is 46-120 with Scott on the sideline since his return, including 15-84 in the Mountain West.
"The tenure has been marred by player transfers, including standouts like Jake Heidbreder and Rytis Petraitis. The current roster includes no seniors," Kraus wrote. "Earlier this season sophomore Kyle Marshall left the team, citing personal reasons."
Per the reporting of Kraus, Scott went 38-45 in three seasons with Princeton. He then spent nine seasons at Denver, going 146-132 and leading the Pioneers to the NIT second round in 2012-13.
Scott spent two seasons apiece as an assistant at Holy Cross and Georgia following his time at Denver. He was hired by Air Force athletic director Nathan Pine — whose time at Holy Cross overlapped with Scott’s — in March 2020, Kraus reported.
