Photo: Jessica Hill / Associated Press Photo: John Woike / TNS Photo: Jessica Hill / Associated Press

A difficult season on the court has become difficult off the court for the UConn men’s basketball team.

The NCAA has notified UConn of an inquiry into its men’s basketball program, Hearst Connecticut Media has learned and the school confirmed Thursday. While the full nature of the inquiry is uncertain, some, if not all, involves areas of recruiting, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.

Word of NCAA involvement comes at a trying time in Kevin Ollie’s tenure as coach. The Huskies endured their first losing season in three decades in 2016-2017 and have struggled through the first two months of this season.

“We are working closely with the NCAA enforcement division,” UConn said in a statement.

When the FBI and Justice Department announced in late September that 10 people, including four assistant coaches, had been arrested on bribery and corruption charges, the massive crackdown shook college basketball. Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich were fired at Louisville.

It was at that time when New York FBI Assistant Director in Charge William Sweeney said: “We have your playbook. Our investigation is ongoing and we are conducting additional interviews as we speak.”

It was at that time when acting U.S. Attorney Joon Kim said, “If you yourself engaged in these activities, I’d encourage you to call us. I think it’s better than us calling you.”

There is no evidence that the UConn situation is linked to the soliciting and bribery c harges of funneling money to families of players and to assistant coaches. A UConn source said the FBI has not contacted the school and that there is no link to the criminal case that involved Adidas along with a number of financial advisors and managers.

Yet the enormity of the story sent shockwaves through the game. There isn’t only one “playbook.” And with the game and the NCAA suffering such a black eye, the possibility of a wider net being cast in an attempt to contain recruiting problems is real. Everyone recognizes it as the ugly underbelly of major college sports.

“Based on our own, NCAA-mandated internal review following allegations directed at men’s basketball programs last fall, we had already retained [law firm] Lightfoot, Franklin and White to assist us in a review of our men’s basketball program,” the school said in its statement. “We will continue to work with them during the NCAA inquiry.”

Let’s be clear. I do not know the depth or breadth of the NCAA involvement with UConn. I do not know the seriousness of the various allegations. I do not know for a fact how the NCAA involvement was initiated. I do not know where the process stands at this moment and when it could end.

There have been changes on Ollie’s staff. There have been touted players who have left the program. How lingering resentment or a compelling sense of whistle-blowing justice — from the inside or outside — fits into this is not clear.

Obviously, any allegations must be proven to the NCAA’s satisfaction. What is truth? What are baseless accusations? I’d be an irresponsible fool to try to pretend to know more than I do.

This much I do know. There has been an extraordinary amount of criticism of the team’s play under Ollie in recent months. His contract was extended through 2021 before the start of last season. At that point, after taking over for Jim Calhoun, he had coached a team ineligible for the NCAA Tournament to an admirable 20-10 season in 2013 and taken the Huskies to an unexpected national championship in 2014. And, with the help of Jalen Adams’ miracle shot, won the AAC tournament title before losing to No. 1 Kansas in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

Ollie was a coach courted by the NBA and had one of the most ballyhooed recruiting classes in the country in 2016. If the five-year, $17.9-million deal had been announced when he signed on Nov. 10, 2016, it would have been applauded. Word of the contract extension, however, did not emerge until months later and by that time the Huskies were struggling badly. Nearly 15 months after that signing and UConn on the hook for three more guaranteed seasons, the contract, set to expire after the 2020-2021 season, has become extremely unpopular with the fan base. Much has happened rather quickly and not much of it has been good.

And then there’s Article 10, Section D in Ollie’s contract. It can be voided for “just cause.”

“The phrase ‘just cause’ shall include, in addition to the definition contained in the Collective Bargaining Agreement: 1.) a violation by the Coach of any law, rule, regulation, policy, bylaw, or official interpretation of the University, the Conference or the NCAA; 2.) a violation by a member of the basketball coaching staff, or any other person under the coach’s supervision and direction, including student-athletes in the basketball program that the coach knew as a violation, and takes no steps to address, correct and report the violation within a reasonable period of time which under no circumstance shall be longer than 10 business days.”

The wording is broad, extreme ly broad. Nothing specific about how serious a transgression something had to be or if there had to be multiple transgressions. The contract was originally structured in 2012 following the problems with the NCAA and ensuing probation under Calhoun. The university was intent on running a strict ship and pretty much having zero tolerance. The deal is generous for Ollie financially and, because AD Warde Manuel left UConn there was the elimination of a buyout Ollie would have had to pay if he left for the NBA. Yet in terms of discipline and dismissal for just cause the contract appears weighted toward the school.

Of course, if it ever came down to it, something so contentious usually ends in a negotiated buyout figure.

To be clear. The seriousness of the allegations is unknown. To be clear. Any allegations would have to be proven.

“We will appropriately address and respond to this inquiry and continue cooperating fully with the NCAA as this process moves forward,” UConn said in its statement. “Until that time, we will have no further comment.”

And with that, a difficult season just got more difficult.

@jeffjacobs123