USD Coach Suspended Amid Assault Allegations

SAN DIEGO, CA – The University of San Diego suspended its head men's basketball coach Monday in the aftermath of his weekend arrest on suspicion of assaulting a woman at a San Francisco hotel.

Allen Lamont Smith, who is in his third year of coaching at the Linda Vista-area private Catholic college, will be on administrative leave "until further notice," said Pamela Gray Payton, assistant vice president of media communications for USD.

"The university has initiated an investigation," Gray Payton said. "Our values as a faith-based institution call upon us to proceed with justice and compassion."

USD assistant coach Sam Scholl has been appointed acting head coach of men's basketball for the entire postseason, effective immediately, the university announced.

Smith, 42, was arrested at Oakland International Airport on Sunday before his team flew back to San Diego following a game against the University of San Francisco.

The alleged victim, whose name has not been released, made an emergency call shortly before 12:30 that morning and accused Smith of abusing her, San Francisco police reported. She was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The nature of the woman's relationship -- if any -- to Smith, who is married with two daughters, has not been released.

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Photo: San Diego head coach Lamont Smith walks off the court after an NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)