ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Top administrators at New Mexico State University wanted to find just the right wording to announce that they were pulling the plug on the men's basketball season following reports of alleged hazing involving team members.

It was a busy afternoon in February - Super Bowl Sunday, in fact - as university officials traded emails and made suggestions before dropping the bombshell that the season was finished. They wanted the message to address the safety of students as well as the integrity of the university. And time was of the essence.

“We don’t want our student athletes to hear this via media,” wrote Ann Goodman, the dean of students.