Former Alabama State men's basketball players banned by NCAA for game manipulation
The NCAA permanently banned four former Alabama State men’s basketball players—Amarr Knox, Shawn Fulcher, Corey Hines, and Tony Madlock—for accepting $2,000 to manipulate a 2024 game against Southern Miss. The two bettors involved were later indicted for wire fraud and bribery, while Alabama State still earned its first NCAA Tournament win that season.
The NCAA announced on June 5 that four former Alabama State men’s basketball players have been permanently ruled ineligible for accepting payments to fix a game. Amarr Knox, Shawn Fulcher, Corey Hines, and Tony Madlock each received $500 from two bettors to manipulate the Hornets’ December 5, 2024, matchup against Southern Miss, which Alabama State lost 81-64. The NCAA’s enforcement team was alerted in July 2025 by Temple University, where Hines transferred after the 2024-25 season, after the FBI showed him text messages related to the scheme. Knox later told investigators that Fulcher had shared a group chat with one of the bettors, who offered money to throw the game. Despite the scandal, Alabama State’s team advanced to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, winning its first-ever March Madness game—a 70-68 victory over Saint Francis in a play-in contest. Knox scored the game-winning layup in the final seconds. The two bettors were indicted in January 2026 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on charges of wire fraud and bribery related to sports contests. None of the four players competed in the 2025-26 season.
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