The Journal. How Gamblers Are Rigging College Basketball
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Mar 18, 2026 
Jared Diamond, a Wall Street Journal sports and betting reporter, unpacks a sprawling college basketball cheating scandal. He walks through how first-half spreads were allegedly manipulated. He explains why small-school players were vulnerable, how a multischool ring drew millions in wagers, and how an NBA betting probe helped expose it. The bigger stakes: public trust in the games.
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How The Robert Morris Fix Was Allegedly Set Up
- Prosecutors say gamblers found Robert Morris scorer Marquise Hastings through a group chat and paid him to help shave first-half points.
- The alleged plan was simple: miss shots, commit bad fouls, trail by two at halftime, then collect the promised bribe.
Legal Betting Turned Small College Games Into Targets
- Legal betting apps expanded corruption opportunities by turning every D1 game, even tiny programs, into a liquid betting market.
- Jared Diamond says bettors no longer needed Vegas or bookies; they could wager on schools like Robert Morris from mainstream apps.
Small School Players Faced A Dangerous Incentive Gap
- NIL money mostly bypasses small-school players, making them easier targets for gamblers offering cash.
- Organizers allegedly softened the pitch by asking only for a bad first half, letting players tell themselves they were not throwing the whole game.