Merrill Lynch adviser at center of Oklahoma hoops investigation

Oklahoma’s athletic department has opened an investigation following reports that basketball player Tiny Gallon received money from a Florida financial adviser.

Spokesman Kenny Mossman confirmed in an e-mail to The Associated Press last night that Oklahoma is “investigating matters that the public may be aware of through recent reports in the media.” He did not provide specific information about the investigation.

TMZ.com reported earlier this month that Gallon received a $3,000 bank transfer from financial adviser Jeffrey Hausinger. The internal investigation was first reported by the Tulsa World, which received notification that the university could not respond to an open records request about the case because of the ongoing investigation. (View Mr. Hausinger’s Finra Broker Check report.)

The school did not respond to a similar records request filed by The Associated Press earlier this month. A call to the records office after business hours Wednesday went unanswered.

Oklahoma remains on probation for major NCAA rules violations committed by its football and men’s basketball programs in recent years. The football violations involved football players, including starting quarterback Rhett Bomar, receiving pay for work they did not perform at a Norman car dealership. The basketball violations stemmed from hundreds of impermissible recruiting phone calls made by former coach Kelvin Sampson.

Gallon was suspended for undisclosed reasons for Oklahoma’s game at Oklahoma State in mid-February but returned to play the remainder of the Sooners’ games. The former McDonald’s All-American appeared in each of Oklahoma’s other 30 games this season and started 21 times, averaging 10.3 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds.

Since the end of the season, Oklahoma has lost two other players. Point guard Tommy Mason-Griffin, also a former McDonald’s All-American, decided to turn pro after his freshman season and reserve guard Ray Willis opted to transfer.

The university has declined requests to interview coach Jeff Capel.