Former University of Georgia basketball guard Tony Cole alleged on Thursday

that he received improper academic and financial benefits from the program.

Cole laid out two allegations to ESPN's Jeremy Schaap:

That Jim Harrick wired $300 to his residence in Louisiana in 2001 to cover

a phone bill and paid hotel expenses in Athens before Cole was able to join

the team. Cole was able to provide a wire transfer receipt showing "Jim

Harrick" as the sender.

That Jim Harrick, Jr. assisted in academic improprieties while Cole was

enrolled at Lincoln Trail Community College in Illinois. Cole alleges that

coursework was sent to Harrick, Jr. and completed by someone from UGA. He

also claims that Harrick, Jr. awarded him an A in a class at UGA for which

he did no work.

The University nor the basketball program has not responded to these charges

except to provide a letter signed by Cole in which he stated that "from

the time summer school ended to the beginning of classes at UGA (in 2001) I

was and always have been able to to take care of myself, financially."

The University is also conducting a criminal trespassing investigation against

Cole at the present time and cited that investigation for their inability to

respond publicly.

A felony charge of aggravated assault with intent to commit rape was dismissed

against Cole in September, but his request for reinstatement was denied by Coach

Harrick. The reasons for Harrick's decision not to welcome Cole back to the

program were detailed in a September

Atlanta Journal-Constitution piece.

The $300 phone bill was not Cole's last run-in with a high telephone bill.

Among the allegations in the Journal-Constitution article was a charge that

Cole "abused telephone privileges on road trips, totaling charges of $420

during a trip to Los Angeles and $650 during a trip to Hawaii". It was

also alleged that Cole threatened Harrick, Jr.

Cole has since dropped out of the University of Georgia and returned to Louisiana

after losing his basketball scholarship.

Athletic Director Vince Dooley made these comments Thursday evening in response to Cole's allegations:

"Anytime there are allegations made regarding possible NCAA violations, we take it very seriously. And we will approach this situation in the same way.

"Tony Cole has been asked on previous occasions if he had received anything that could be considered extra benefits and a document has been signed by him indicating that he had not.

"However, we will use all of our capabilities in investigating each one in the proper way and in full cooperation with the SEC and the NCAA."