Oklahoma Hopes NCAA Basketball Investigation About To Wrap Up

Lost in the noise of the multiple NCAA investigations into Ohio State, the Agentgate probe underway at UNC, the inquiries about national championship runner-up Oregon, and the sanctions on USC, not to mention the rumors about national championship winner Auburn -- where were we?

Oh, yeah, lost in all of that mess are some lesser investigations, like the NCAA’s look-see at Oklahoma basketball. The Sooners are hoping the whole thing goes away before anyone really notices that it’s missing.

Castiglione said after a board of regents meeting Wednesday that there are “signs that we’re moving toward resolution” and there “probably will” be developments he can comment on later this summer.

That would almost mark a land-speed record for the NCAA, given that the investigation began just one short year (and a couple months) ago. For those of you unfamiliar with the outlines of the case:

Former player Keith “Tiny” Gallon has said he took $3,000 from a Florida financial adviser so his high school would release his transcripts and he could play for the Sooners. Phone and e-mail records tied the adviser, Jeffrey Hausinger, to former Oklahoma assistant coach Oronde Taliaferro, who resigned following last season when the investigation was beginning.

So while the scandal in Norman seems positively run-of-the-mill in Chapel Hill, this isn’t completely insignificant stuff if it’s true. And if anyone is paying any attention.