TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Up to now, UA's President has stuck to short, prepared statements about the Federal probe of bribery in basketball.
Thursday, KGUN9 On Your Side's Craig Smith talked with Doctor Robert Robbins about the probe, and the moment he learned it touched UA.
"I got a call that one of our assistant coaches had been arrested by the FBI. Not exactly the way you want to start your morning."
Doctor Robert Robbins remembers how he learned UA Assistant Coach Emanuel Richardson was charged with bribery in a Federal probe that included sports agents and coaches from three other schools.
He says he has not seen anything to shake his support for Head Coach Sean Miller.
"I think there's no data that I've seen that would implicate him in any wrongdoing and so I think he's a wonderful coach but even a better man and better mentor of young student athletes."
Speaking to the Marana Chamber of Commerce, Doctor Robbins said he believes UA Basketball is strong enough to win the National Championship.
"...and I hope they can stay focused. Imagine the pressure of these 18, 19 year old student athletes having to do all their school work and take on the pressure of this inquiry. It's hard enough just to play basketball and do their schoolwork."
Doctor Robbins says UA is running its own rigorous investigation besides the probes by the FBI and NCAA.
"We clearly want to turn over every rock and find every fact that we can because we believe that we've always run a culture of compliance and I believe that the facts and the evidence as we find them out we will let everybody know what they are.”
