Strange eligibility situation involving Kentucky holding Dontaie Allen out at WKU

Dontaie Allen is being held out of games at WKU while an eligibility concern from last year with the Kentucky wildcats is smooted out.

A year after the infraction occurred, news is coming out about Dontaie Allen playing while ineligible for the Kentucky Wildcats in the 2021-22 season. Kentucky violated NCAA rules and evidently played Allen while he was ineligible due to grades.

The Hilltoppers announced the situation about a week ago:

Allen, who transferred to Western Kentucky University, is being held out of games at his new school until the situation is resolved. Later, the Hilltoppers coach, Rick Stansbury, spoke more about the situation and it was revealed that Allen’s grades were the primary concern.

“Kentucky played him seven games when he was ineligible, springtime. Their coaches didn’t know, him, and their compliance didn’t know it. How does the kid know it?”

Stansbury was repeatedly adamant in a press conference that Allen wasn’t at fault for the situation and pointed to the fact that the coaches and administrators seemed unaware of the infraction until just recently as well.

Evidently, Kentucky has been fined $3,500 ($500 for every game Allen played in while ineligible) but Western Kentucky cannot play him until the situation reaches a full resolution.

Allen appeared in three games for the Hilltoppers this year before being benched due to the issue. He’s averaging 8.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. On a per-40-minute basis that’s 25.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. With Kentucky last season per 40 minutes he averaged 13.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists.

At this point, it’s unclear when he’ll return to play for the Hilltoppers. As far as can be surmised now, Kentucky’s responsibility ends with the $3,500 fine, but it’s worth asking why no one was aware of the situation as it was happening and if that misstep has any possible implications for other players that need to be cleaned up. As of now, it doesn’t look that way.