The fix was in on the ASU campus just eight years-ago when two Sun Devil basketball players received cash for trying to keep their team from covering the point spread in five contests during the 1993-94 season.
This remarkable story has since been made into a movie titled "Big Shot" that will air on cable's FX network. The movie is scheduled to run March 31 at 6 p.m.
The film is based on accounts from former ASU student Benny Silman, who moonlighted as a bookie, and convinced basketball star Stevin "Hedake" Smith to do business with him. According to Silman, Smith, the program's third all-time leading scorer, shaved points during conference games mainly because Smith owed Silman $10,000 for sports betting debts.
Silman reportedly paid Smith $20,000 a game to alter the outcome. Smith's teammate, Isaac Burton Jr., joined in on the fix for two games and received $4,300 for his cooperation.
Silman admitted in an interview with Fox Sports that he got in way over head, but that there is simple logic in understanding how it all happened.
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out," he said. "You get some one to screw up a game. You bet some money on the other team. It's very simple. It's probably going on today as we speak."
The law did finally catch up with Silman, the two players, and five outside individuals who mainly were involved in benefiting from the knowledge of the point shaving. Silman took the stiffest penalty for his involvement, and got 46 months in jail.
The ASU athletic department is mum on the movie.
Athletic director Gene Smith and basketball coach Rob Evans, who were not at ASU when this scandal occurred, could not be reached for comment regarding the movie.
"The more we talk about the subject the less it goes away," said athletic department spokesperson Doug Tammaro. "So our stance is we have no comment on subject."
Smith told Sports Illustrated in 1998 that he got started in gambling when he was challenged by a another student to put his money where his mouth is regarding a professional football game. Smith wagered $100 and lost. He continued to bet and lose and within a few weeks he was betting on just about everything he could.
“During my time at Arizona State, I was well taken care of," Smith said. "I always had a nice car while I was in college.” Smith said he was taken care of by a generous ASU booster and always had money in his pocket.
Smith’s former coach, Bill Frieder, adamantly denied any wrong-doing in the scandal as reported in the SI story, but he did resign shortly after the news of point-shaving scandal was unfolding.
Frieder, too, was unavailable for comment.
Although the NCAA looked into the accusations that Smith said he was being taken care of by a booster, ASU was never reprimanded.
