ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Michigan State coach Tom Izzo declined Saturday to address an Outside the Lines report about a current Spartans player who is under police investigation for an alleged assault.
Michigan State freshman Brock Washington is the subject of an ongoing investigation into what police have classified as a fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct allegation, according to an Outside The Lines report published Thursday night.
Washington has not played in a game for the No. 2-ranked Spartans this season. He traveled with the team and was in uniform on the bench for Saturday's 65-60 comeback win at Northwestern.
Izzo declined to answer questions about when he learned about the allegations against Washington and his current status with the team.
"I'm not going to talk about that other than to say I know [university president John] Engler said as much as can be said at this time. I appreciate his leadership and support," Izzo said. "Right now, my focus continues to be on the healing process of those survivors, our university, our community and my team. That's what I'm going to stick with. There will be more said."
Engler, who took over as Michigan State's interim president on Jan. 31, spoke to local reporters Friday afternoon after a board of trustees meeting. He said ESPN's report was "incomplete" and that Washington deserved an apology.
Michigan State's public records office has yet to release a police report about the alleged incident. The Ingham County Prosecutor's Office has not yet decided if it will charge Washington with a crime. Outside The Lines requested a copy of the police report through the school's public records department on Feb. 6, and the university responded Wednesday asking for a 10-day extension to answer the request.
An athletic department spokesman declined to answer a question Saturday about whether or not the university's Title IX department was investigating the allegation.
Izzo has consistently declined to answer questions about how he and the basketball program have handled allegations of sexual assault and violence against women made against their players since Outside The Lines published a report in late January about a "a pattern of widespread denial, inaction and information suppression of such allegations by officials ranging from campus police to the Spartan athletic department."
He said he has and will continue to cooperate with any investigation into his program's conduct. He said Saturday that the ongoing investigation into Washington's incident has not affected his willingness to discuss the topic.
Izzo has not given any specific timeline for when he plans to address any questions about his program and sexual assault.