Former California basketball coach Todd Bozeman, now the coach at Morgan State, has been suspended indefinitely by the school following an incident with a player during Saturdays game at South Carolina State, according to a report by the Baltimore Sun.
Bozeman has characterized the incident as accidental contact with senior guard Larry Bastfield. He will not be paid during the suspension, while the school investigates the situation further.
Some who viewed the incident, including school president George E. Cooper, believed that Bozeman punched Bastfield in the face. Both the player and the coach have stated that the incident was blown out of proportion. Bastfield told the newspaper that he "exaggerated" his reaction to the contact, while Bozeman told the paper that the people making the allegations are "completely off the charts."
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SIGN UP HERE The 48-year-old Bozeman is 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, while Bastfield is 5-foot-11, 205. According to Bozeman, he would have "left a mark" had he actually struck the player.
Bozeman, who is in his sixth season at Morgan State, once received an eight-year NCAA ban following major violations at Cal. He was out of coaching for a decade before becoming the head coach at Morgan State in 2006.