Hartford And Detroit Mercy: What Just Happened?

In the broader college basketball world there are two stories right now that are hard to understand.

First, what in the world has happened to Detroit Mercy’s women’s basketball team?

The team had objections to coach Ann-Marie Gilbert and expressed them in one voice and though they said they’d take the court for an assistant, refused to play for Gilbert.

So the university essentially told them to take a hike and canceled the season.

Only one player was left on the roster and the AD told her she could keep her scholarship but wouldn’t be on the team next year.

No one outside of a very small group of people knows what happened there but you’d think between the players, coach and university, could have found a better solution.

And at Hartford, fresh off its first NCAA appearance, the university has decided to move to D-III, which has not gone over well with everyone. Worse, they told the coach immediately after losing to Baylor in March. The team hadn't even returned home.

The university says it is losing $13 million per year on basketball but other studies suggest it’s not as much and emphasize lost revenue as well.

Like Detroit Mercy, whatever ends up happening, Hartford could have certainly handled this better.

• How Detroit Mercy women’s basketball’s ‘cry for help’ shattered dreams, gutted roster
• Detroit Mercy women’s basketball player gets ultimatum: We’ll pay for school, but you won’t play
• UDM player claims team’s ‘cry for help’ ignored; AD says abuse allegations unsubstantiated
• U of Hartford to Move From DI to DIII Athletics
• On heels of first NCAA hoops bid, Hartford student-athletes outraged over decision to downgrade from DI to DII
• New report on University of Hartford athletic department questions financial logic of moving from NCAA Division I to Division III
• University of Hartford student-athletes hold rally to protest potential drop to Division III
• UHart’s athletes, coaches and supporters press on amid controversy