Former New Mexico State basketball players Shakiru Odunewu and Deuce Benjamin have spoken out about the sexual assault and harassment they say they and other members of the team were subjected to by teammates.
Speaking to ESPN's Sara Coello, Odunewu said "there were most definitely other players that got attacked the way that we got attacked," but he felt the alleged attackers "manipulated them to believe that if they came out, that they were snitching."
Benjamin explained after a game they played at the University of Texas-El Paso, the players who harassed them "pantsed" one of the assistant coaches while sleeping on the team bus.
"[Other coaches acted] like they didn't see it," he added.
The public comments come after Benjamin and Odunewu filed a lawsuit last month in which they said they were sexually assaulted by teammates and the coaching staff and other school administrators did nothing when they reported it.
Odunewu told Coello the three players named in the lawsuit—Kim Aiken Jr., Doctor Bradley and Deshawndre Washington—targeted "just about everyone" on the team at least once.
According to Coello, Odenuwu explained the "more frequent or severe punishments were reserved for those who fought back" against the attacks.
According to Benjamin, pulling down a player's pants was at times treated as a pregame ritual.
Coello noted Benjamin specifically cited one incident when Washington "ordered another player to pull down his uniform shorts for good luck" when players got ready to run onto the court.
The New Mexico State University board of regents, two former members of the coaching staff and three former players were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The suit also alleges players were subjected to inappropriate touching by their teammates.
"While NMSU does not comment on pending litigation, we want to assure everyone that this issue is being taken seriously," school spokesperson Justin Bannister said in a statement to the Associated Press.
Per the lawsuit, one assistant coach responded with, "What do you want me to do about it?" when Odunewu approached him about the alleged assaults, and then-head coach Greg Heiar said "said that he was looking into it and would issue some suspensions" after Odunewu discussed the assaults with them three different times.
No disciplinary action was taken.
The school announced on Feb. 11 it was suspending operations for the basketball program until further notice and the coaching staff was placed on administrative leave. The decision came after Benjamin reported the allegations to campus police.
NMSU chancellor Dan Arvizu canceled the remainder of the men's basketball season on Feb. 12 amid the school's investigation into the hazing allegations.
Benjamin and Odunewu, both freshman, have entered the transfer portal. Coello noted they both intend to petition the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility.
