Creighton suspends Greg McDermott for 'plantation' remark

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Creighton coach Greg McDermott shouts during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Villanova, Wednesday, March 3, 2021, in Villanova, Pa. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

OMAHA, Neb. ā€“ Creighton University suspended basketball coach Greg McDermott indefinitely Thursday night for using racially insensitive language while addressing the team after a game last weekend.

McDermott publicly apologized Tuesday and again Wednesday for urging his players to ā€œstay on the plantationā€ after the 14th-ranked Bluejays' 77-69 loss at Xavier.

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McDermott coached in the Bluejays' 72-60 loss at No. 10 Villanova on Wednesday night. Assistant coach Alan Huss will serve as interim head coach for the home game against Butler on Saturday.

ā€œI made a mistake and I own it,ā€ McDermott said in a Twitter post after the suspension was announced. ā€œMistakes come with consequences, and I accept and agree with the suspension.ā€

Athletic director Bruce Rasmussen said he and university president the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson met with senior administrators Thursday to determine disciplinary action against McDermott.

ā€œCoach McDermott and the team have accepted that, effective immediately, he is suspended for all team activities, including Saturday's home season finale against Butler.ā€

The university statement announcing the suspension did not specify how long McDermott would be suspended. Creighton athletic spokesman Rob Anderson told The Associated Press no end date has been set.

Rasmussen said additional sanctions are under consideration, none of which will be made public.

ā€œCoach McDermott and our athletics program must use this incident as an opportunity for growth and learning, as clearly more work needs to be done.ā€

McDermott, in an apology he posted on Twitter on Tuesday, acknowledged saying: ā€œGuys, we got to stick together. We need both feet in. I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I canā€™t have anybody leave the plantation.ā€

McDermott, who is white, said he immediately recognized he had made an ā€œegregious mistakeā€ and addressed with his team his use of a term evocative of slavery and the antebellum South.

In a statement, the university called McDermottā€™s language ā€œdeplorableā€ and said it was inconsistent with the private Jesuit schoolā€™s values and commitment to creating a welcoming environment.

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