The NCAA tournament is a big deal. Coaches are arguably one of the most important pieces in team success.

So before collegiate coaches are hired, background checks are thorough, right?

Well, maybe not.

On March 25, the University of Manhattan learned its head men’s basketball coach, Steve Masiello, never received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, despite what his resume stated.

This happened when the University of South Florida rejected Masiello for their head coaching position during the final stages of the hiring process.

“Through the verification process, it was determined (Masiello’s) credentials could not be substantiated,” said the university in a brief press statement. “Therefore, he did not meet the requirements for the position.”

Interestingly, Manhattan might never have discovered the truth without South Florida’s verification process. Masiello had been head coach for almost three years.

It’s surprising he wasn’t caught sooner.

Having a bachelor’s degree is a requirement for all head coaches, so of course, this was a major problem.

Naturally, Masiello was immediately sent on leave following this revelation. Over the next few days, the university decided his fate.

Should he be fired?

Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun weighed in on the situation.

“So, he’s the same guy he was before,” Calhoun told ESPNNewYork.com’s. “He made an error on his resume, and he’s going to have to fix that up and get his degree, I’m sure.

“But I would take him back in a heartbeat.”

Manhattan agreed with Calhoun.

On April 7, Manhattan announced that Masiello would be retained as head coach, under one condition — he will remain on permanent leave until completing an undergraduate degree.

“I made a mistake that could have cost me my job at an institution I love,” Masiello said in the school’s statement. “Details matter. Manhattan College has shown me a great deal of compassion and trust during this process, and I will do everything in my power to uphold that trust.”

Associate Professor of Sports Studies Bob Malekoff said he was glad Masiello is getting a second chance.

“On the other hand, I’m troubled by preferential treatment that might likely not be afforded to others,” said Malekoff in an email interview.

Early College senior Anjali Kapil said the decision is up to the university not the public.

“As long as he didn’t do anything illegal, I think the coach is fine,” said Kapil.

In light of all this, how thorough are background checks here at Guilford?

“The hiring process on campus is the same for all employees,” said Assistant Director of Human Resources Deborah Craven in an email interview. “The background check includes Residency History Search, Nationwide Sexual Offenders Index Search and North Carolina Statewide Criminal Search.”

Regardless, the controversy with Masiello doesn’t sit right with me. All in all, he got off the hook easily and managed to keep his job.

I guess a precedent for lying on your resume with little to no consequences has been set.