Gambling busts continue to plague the NCAA.
Former Iona men’s basketball player Adam Njie Jr. admitted that he told a sports bettor that he would intentionally tank the first half of two games during the 2024-25 season.
According to an NCAA ruling released Thursday, the former Iona guard agreed to participate in the point-shaving schemes ahead of two games in December 2024 to help bettors cash on first-half spreads.
Investigators discovered the case after interviewing a source tied to a separate sports wagering probe in July and September 2025. That source told NCAA enforcement officials that one of two bettors had communicated with Njie.
Upon the NCAA’s investigation, the Mississippi Gaming Commission reported that one bettor placed three wagers totaling $15,500 on Rice to cover the first-half spread against Iona on Dec. 1, 2024.
Njie acknowledged telling the bettor before the game that he would “throw” the first half. However, he said that he never followed through with it.
The bettor allegedly wasn’t too understanding.
They physically threatened Njie after losing money on the Rice wager. In response, Njie told the bettor he would throw the first half of Iona’s Dec. 6 game against Sacred Heart to make up for the blow.
Again, Njie told investigators he never intentionally manipulated the game.
The NCAA said that digital evidence confirmed communications between Njie and the bettor, as well as the bettor’s subsequent threats.
Investigators did not substantiate game manipulation itself, but the NCAA noted that Njie’s actions were still deemed a major integrity violation.
“The act of sharing information with a bettor is prohibited by NCAA legislation and is treated the same as point shaving from an NCAA enforcement perspective,” the NCAA said in a statement.
The violations were classified as Level I — the NCAA’s most serious category.
Njie has been declared permanently ineligible for NCAA competition, while Iona University’s athletics site has taken down his player profile page.
The Bronx native transferred to Dayton ahead of last season but did not play again after the first two preseason games due to “potential eligibility concerns.” He had just signed with Hampton University in Virginia last month.
Both of the bettors involved were indicted in January 2026 by federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on wire fraud and bribery charges related to sports contests.