The Arizona Board of Regents has called an executive-session meeting for Thursday to discuss the University of Arizona's men's basketball program after allegations surfaced in federal court about money being offered to recruits.

The regents, who oversee the state universities and approve head coaching contracts, have scheduled for 11 a.m. at Arizona State University's downtown Phoenix campus a meeting to receive "legal advice and discussion."

"We always knew we would need to monitor things closely as the judicial proceedings elsewhere proceeded. We are now convening for another update in the wake of the trials that were carried out within the past several weeks," Regent Jay Heiler said in an interview with The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.

Regents are expected to get an update from UA President Robert C. Robbins. The meeting is closed to the public, and the board is not scheduled to take any action after the meeting.

The closed-door meeting comes after new information surfaced recently in the first of three federal court trials related to a 2017 FBI probe into corruption in college basketball. Last week, a federal jury in New York found three men guilty of fraud for channeling secret payments to the families of top-tier recruits to influence their choice of schools, apparel companies and agents.

During the trial, former Arizona Associate Head Coach Joe Pasternack was accused of offering $50,000 to try to recruit Brian Bowen to play for the Wildcats.

Bowen’s father testified in court that business manager Christian Dawkins told him of the offer. Dawkins was one of three men convicted in the trial last week of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for funneling money and recruits to Louisville and Kansas.

ESPN also reported earlier this week that Dawkins wrote of a plan to pay Arizona standout Rawle Alkins and his family $50,000 while he played for the university last season.

ESPN reported that Dawkins sent an email to partner Munish Sood on Sept. 5, 2017, that detailed a plan to pay Alkins. The aspiring agent planned to pay Alkins $2,500 a month from September 2017 through April 2017, plus another $30,000 in travel expenses for Alkins’ family.

The report linked Dawkins to Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller via phone records. Phones registered to Dawkins and Miller were connected multiple times between May 3 and July 2, 2017, ESPN reported, citing evidentiary files obtained from the federal trial. Thirteen calls lasted five or more minutes.

Michael Schachter, one of the defense attorneys in the trial, had unsuccessfully tried to enter into evidence the fact that the FBI did not record a handful of calls between Miller and Dawkins, ESPN reported, even though the attorney said Miller was listed as a “target” of the FBI wiretaps.

Arizona issued a statement Sunday that it was reviewing information that has surfaced since the trial concluded last week:

“The University of Arizona is aware of the information that has appeared in media reports regarding the just completed trial in New York,” the statement said.

“We are continuing to review the matter and will take such steps as are deemed necessary and appropriate based upon credible and reliable evidence. Out of respect for the judicial and administrative processes involved, we have no further comment at this time.”

Miller, the head coach, has not been accused of any wrongdoing by prosecutors.

But his former assistant, Emanuel "Book" Richardson was indicted in 2017 for bribery and fraud as part of a widespread FBI investigation into NCAA basketball. He is scheduled to go to trial April 22 along with former assistant coaches Tony Bland of USC and Lamont Evans of Oklahoma State.

All are accused of funneling apparel company money to recruits and their families.

Richardson is accused of accepting $20,000 in bribes, purportedly to steer players to a particular management company when those players turned pro. Richardson has maintained through his attorney that he is not guilty. The university suspended Richardson after his September 2017 arrest and fired him in January.

Miller himself was the subject of a February ESPN article, alleging FBI wiretaps captured him talking with a sports agent about paying $100,000 to ensure star player Deandre Ayton signed with the Wildcats.

MORE: Sean Miller draws crowd at Pac-12 Media Day but says little

When the allegations broke in late February, Miller did not coach Arizona's game against Oregon. He returned less than a week later, after university officials met with Miller and consulted with attorneys.

Robbins, the UA president, announced on March 1 that Miller would remain head coach of the men's basketball team.

"At this time, we have no reason to believe Coach Miller violated NCAA rules or any laws," Robbins said at the time.

"I believe that if the FBI had evidence Coach Miller had done anything wrong, you would have seen him indicted."

Miller called the allegations "false and defamatory."

An attorney for the Ayton family denied any payment.

The university hired a law firm to conduct an independent investigation after Miller's assistant was arrested on criminal charges. But to date, university officials have not made public any findings.

Miller said in a March 1 news conference that he has never knowingly violated NCAA rules while serving as head coach.

"I have never paid a recruit or prospect or their family or representative to come to Arizona. I never have and I never will. I have never arranged or directed payment or improper benefits to a recruit or prospect or family or representative and I never will," he said.

Miller said "the one time someone suggested to me paying a player to come to the University of Arizona I did not agree to it. It never happened and that player did not come to the University of Arizona."

Miller declined to name the student-athlete out of respect for privacy and the ongoing federal investigation.

Miller, when asked about the federal investigation since then, has repeatedly referred reporters to his March 1 statement.

During the Pac-12 Media Day earlier this month, Miller wouldn't say whether recruiting efforts had been affected by the investigation.

"I'm just focused on the task at hand," he said. "The external thing isn't really on my radar right now. My charge is to treat our players right, obviously run our program and get ready for the 2018-19 season."

Arizona hosts Western New Mexico on Tuesday, the first of two exhibition games at McKale Center in Tucson. The regular season starts on Nov. 7 against Houston Baptist.

Arizona Republic reporter Michelle Gardner and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

Reach the reporter at 602-444-8072 or anne.ryman@arizonarepublic.com.

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