Dontaie Allen played while ineligible at Kentucky, forced to sit out games at WKU
Western Kentucky announced an “eligibility matter” regarding redshirt junior guard Dontaie Allen last week, one that stemmed from his time at Kentucky.
“We hope to have the situation resolved soon,” the school said in a statement back on Nov. 21.
He suited up in the Hilltoppers’ first three games of the season, but sat out the last four — and it appears he’ll miss the next three, as well.
The reason? Allen played while ineligible during his time at Kentucky last season, Western Kentucky head coach Rick Stansbury said Sunday. Academic issues during the fall semester resulted in the current violations, all because the former Pendleton County standout played in seven games in November and early December of 2021.
According to Stansbury, Kentucky was unaware of the eligibility concerns, as was Allen. As a result, Western Kentucky was blindsided by the news, as well.
“Nothing he has done, nothing we have done. Kentucky played him seven games when he was ineligible,” the WKU head coach said Saturday. “Their coaches didn’t know it and their compliance didn’t know it. Well, how does the kid know it? Nobody can say the kid is at fault for not getting his grades. He didn’t know. If the adults in the room didn’t know, he didn’t know. When he went into the portal, that’s when they found out he was ineligible the fall semester. They turn the waiver in and don’t get it back till last week before we’re getting ready to leave.”
In that span, Allen didn’t play more than 19 minutes in a single outing, including 10 minutes or fewer in four. Stansbury’s math was a bit off — he said Allen played 25 total minutes, but really it was 79 over seven games — but the punishment remains. Kentucky was fined for the confusion, $500 per game Allen played while ineligible and the current WKU guard must sit out the same number of games he took the floor during the fall semester.
“Kentucky got their punishment, they got fined $500 a game for seven games. But we’re the ones getting punished now, him having to sit games for us,” Stansbury said. “The kid is the one getting punished. Nothing about that is right.
“Nothing about that is right, that he is having to pay for mistakes that other people didn’t know, that’s responsible [for that], and punishing us, making him sit games.”
UK Athletics released a statement on the situation, saying the matter is resolved and no further penalties will be handed down.
“We cannot comment on student eligibility issues due to student privacy laws, but can confirm the matter is closed at UK and no games were forfeited,” they said.
In his first three games as a Hilltopper, Allen has averaged 8.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 47% from the field overall and 44.4% from three.
He finished his time in Lexington averaging 3.9 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 35.8% from the field and 33.0% from three in 10.5 minutes per game.
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