USC Athletic Director Pat Haden announced this morning that he has reinstated basketball coach Kevin O’Neill.

“Coach O’Neill and I have talked numerous times these past few days,” Haden said in a statement released by the school. “He has continued to express his regret and embarrassment over the incident that led to his suspension from any remaining games of the Pac-10 Conference Tournament.  He understands that his inappropriate actions and resulting suspension from the tournament’s semifinal game and potential championship game put his team in an extremely difficult position.  Further, he understands that he let them down as their role model and leader.  He has apologized to his team, as well as to me, our administration, our fans and the Pac-10.”

O’Neill was suspended mid-way through the Pac-10 Tournament after reports surfaced that he and his wife were involved in an altercation with an Arizona fan the night before USC was set to face the Wildcats in the Pac-10 semifinal. The players learned of the suspension just hours before tip-off.

USC, coached by longtime Trojan assistant Bob Cantu, lost to Arizona 67-62.

“Our players were the innocent victims in all this,” Haden continued. “I was proud of how well they and our assistant coaches responded in our Pac-10 semifinal game.  We now need to provide our players with the best chance of moving forward through post-season play.  Having their head coach back gives them that opportunity.”

“I’m excited to be back coaching the Trojans and I am looking forward to the post-season,” O’Neill wrote in the statement. “This is a special team and we have shown that we can compete with anyone in the country.”

“I was really proud of the effort our team put forth in Friday’s game against Arizona.  I know I let them down and put them in a very challenging situation.  But because our players are high-character young men, they were able to put that aside and compete extremely well.”

“I temper my excitement of being reinstated with the realization that I made a serious error in judgment the other night.  The disciplinary measures that Pat Haden took, including the suspension, were absolutely the right call.  My wife, Roberta, and I are both very apologetic for the embarrassment we caused the Trojan Family.  We vow to move forward in a positive manner.”

Some reports, including the site that initially broke the story about the incident, predicted that O’Neill would be fired on top of the existing suspension. It now appears that O’Neill’s job may never have been in jeopardy, given that the university’s statement was released to the media the morning after the Pac-10 Tournament--the suspension period--concluded.

PointGuardU.com, the Arizona basketball fan site that broke the story, has now taken down the headline that said that the coach would be fired. A new article has been posted that slams USC for reinstating O’Neill after what was effectively a one-game suspension.

“It was a difficult lesson for Coach O’Neill,” Haden said. “I believe the suspension served its purpose and will eliminate any such inappropriate behavior by Coach O’Neill in the future.  Although he has been reinstated, Coach O’Neill knows that he still faces additional institutional discipline and a fine.”

Though the university has repeatedly referred to additional discipline that has not been made public, this is the first time a fine has been explicitly mentioned by the university in its’ descriptions of O’Neill’s punishment.

With the suspension immediately lifted, O’Neill is free to coach the team in the NCAA or NIT tournament if they receive a bid. The NCAA Basketball Championship Selection Show will be held at 3pm on CBS. ATVN will post reactions from players and coaches following the announcement.