Kennesaw State's best player is gone. The scandal is ugly. And head coach Antoine Pettway isn't holding back.
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Star guard Simeon Cottle, the preseason Conference USA Player of the Year, was suspended indefinitely after being hit with federal charges tied to a point-shaving scheme. He's one of four active players charged, along with a long list of former players and some very shady characters.
Cottle, who was averaging 20.2 points per game, allegedly underperformed in a March 2024 game at Queens University. According to the feds, he and two others were paid $40,000 to tank the first half. The charges include bribery and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. We're talking up to 25 years behind bars.
After a 72-69 win over Western Kentucky — Kennesaw's first home game since the news broke — Pettway addressed the situation. And he wasn't sugarcoating it.
"You're being a predator online and you're reaching out to them, getting these dudes to mess up," Pettway said. "A lot of dudes on that list, you feel bad for."
He made it clear he's not excusing players who took the money. But his biggest issue is with the guys pulling the strings. The ones luring broke college kids into throwing games.
"These young dudes don't have a lot, and they dangle this money in front of their faces," Pettway said.
Since the indictments dropped, Kennesaw's gone 2-2, both wins coming against Western Kentucky. RJ Johnson led the way in Wednesday's win with 19 points.
