The former Indiana University basketball team doctor accused of sexually assaulting players back in the 1990s invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination dozens of times during a recent deposition when he was asked whether he performed rectal examinations on young athletes, according to the transcript of his testimony.

Dr. Bradford Bomba Sr., who testified on Dec. 4 via video, also twice invoked his Fifth Amendment right when asked if then-coach Bob Knight told him to do “digital rectal exams on his players.” However, he did answer several questions about his general scope of duties and time working for the university.

Bomba, 88, had been ordered to submit to a deposition by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mario Garcia, who is presiding over a federal lawsuit filed in October by two former players, Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller, against the university’s trustees. Neither Knight, who died last year at age 83, nor Bomba are listed as defendants.

They claim Bomba repeatedly sexually assaulted them and their teammates under the guise of doing physical examinations and that the school was aware this was happening but did nothing to stop him.

Bomba first invoked the Fifth Amendment when he declined, through his lawyer, to answer whether he ever performed a physical exam on a player “anywhere other than on campus.”

The now-retired doctor also declined to answer a question about whether he ever reported the “abuse of a student athlete to anyone,” and another question asking if he knew what Title IX is.

Mujezinovic and Miller are suing the IU trustees under Title IX, a federal law that requires all universities that receive federal funds to put safeguards in place to protect students from sexual predators.

Bomba did testify at the deposition that IU provided him with a questionnaire that needed to be completed and that he documented the procedures he did on those forms, which were then returned to the university. He also agreed, under questioning, that he and Knight had been “close friends.”

Kathleen Delaney, who represents Mujezinovic and Miller, said in the lawsuit that there could be “at least one hundred” alleged victims. She had no immediate comment Friday on the deposition, which Bomba’s guardians had unsuccessfully attempted to delay by claiming he was not competent to testify.

“I’m pleased that the Court required Dr. Bomba, Sr. to testify,” Mujezinovic, who watched the deposition by video, said in a statement first reported by The Herald Times. “He did not even try to justify what he did to me and others under the guise of ‘medical care.’ Watching him testify was a difficult experience for me, but an important step in the pursuit of justice.”

“This is important evidence confirming that the University knew what was going on and did nothing to protect us from what I now understand was sexual abuse,” Miller said in his statement. He too watched the deposition by video.

Indiana University is represented by the Indianapolis-based Barnes & Thornburg law firm and three of the firm’s lawyers were monitoring the deposition but, according to the transcript obtained by NBC News, did not pose any questions.

Also watching the deposition was IU’s “in-house counsel” Anthony Prather, the transcript showed.

Indiana University hired Bomba to provide medical care to all of its sports teams from 1962 to 1970, and from 1979 until the late 1990s he was the basketball team’s doctor, according to the lawsuit.

Mujezinovic and Miller said in the lawsuit that they “were routinely and repeatedly subjected to medically unnecessary, invasive, and abusive digital rectal examinations” by Bomba.

Bomba had played football for Indiana University and was nicknamed “Frankenstein” by coaches and players “due to the large size of his hands and fingers,” the lawsuit added.

“Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s routine sexual assaults were openly discussed by the Hoosier men’s basketball players in the locker room in the presence of IU employees, including assistant coaches, athletic trainers, and other Hoosier men’s basketball staff,” according to the lawsuit.

Mujezinovic, who spent two seasons at Indiana from 1995 to 1997, and Miller, who played for the Hoosiers from 1994 through 1998, are seeking unspecified damages. They have also urged former teammates to come forward and join their lawsuit.

Indiana’s first road game tips off Friday night in Lincoln against Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers are 6-2 and are coming off an 89-52 loss at Michigan State.

Friday’s game is an 8 p.m. ET tip on FOX:

Indiana’s struggles against last season are well documented. The Hoosiers lost three times to the Huskers and none of the games were competitive. Nebraska won 86-70 in Lincoln on January 3, 85-70 in Bloomington on February 21 and 93-66 at the Big Ten tournament on March 16. That’s an average margin of 18.

Both teams underwent roster makeovers in the offseason. Still, Fred Hoiberg’s ability to spread Indiana out and score an average of 88 points in three easy wins was a major reason the Hoosiers didn’t sniff the NCAA tournament a season ago.

The Hoosiers have won four straight games (all by 15 or more points), but a win Friday would be a surefire signal the Hoosiers are trending in the right direction after a shaky performance last month in the Bahamas.

MEET THE HUSKERS

After reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time under Hoiberg last March, the Huskers are in a transition period in his sixth season. Keisei Tominaga graduated, Rienk Mast is out for the season with a knee injury and the offense has taken a significant step back statistically.

According to KenPom.com, Nebraska had the nation’s 32nd-best offense last season but is currently ranked 99th this season after eight games.

Three Huskers are averaging double figures – seniors Brice Williams, Juwan Gary and junior Connor Essegian.

This wing-heavy offensive attack presents problems for an Indiana rotation featuring a frontcourt that doesn’t guard well away from the paint (Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau) and struggles to guard movement and execute switches (Mackenzie Mgbako).

Williams is a 6-foot-7 fifth-year wing who is excellent at getting to the line and converts at an elite rate. He leads the Huskers with 17.5 points per game and shoots 92.5 percent (53 attempts) from the line. He’s also a capable 3-point shooter and has connected on 11 of his 29 attempts from deep.

The 6-foot-6 Gary, another fifth-year player, is an undersized four averaging 10.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 25 minutes per game. Gary is just 7-for-27 on 3s (25.9 percent).

Essegian, an Indiana native, was one of the Big Ten’s best freshmen two seasons ago at Wisconsin. After falling out of the regular rotation in Madison last season, Essegian entered the transfer portal and landed in Lincoln where he’s returned to form in his third season. Essegian is Nebraska’s second-leading scorer at 13 points per game. He’s made a team-high 20 3-pointers and is shooting 42.6 percent from the perimeter.

Utah transfer Rollie Worster has taken over the starting point guard spot for the Huskers. Another fifth-year player, the 6-foot-5 Worster is averaging a team-high 2.6 assists and is second on the team with 1.5 steals per game.

Ahron Ulis, who sat out last season following a gambling probe and Sam Hoiberg provide most of the backup minutes in the backcourt. The 6-foot-3 Ulis is just 2-for-13 on 3s and is shooting 33 percent from the field. Hoiberg is an energy player who is fearless in attacking offensively and is a major pest defensively. His 1.8 steals per game lead the Huskers.

On the wing, Rutgers transfer Gavin Griffiths hasn’t made a 3-pointer since Nov. 13 and is 3-for-19 from distance on the season. The 6-foot-7 sophomore was considered one of the best shooters in the country coming out of high school.

With Mast sitting out this season, Hoiberg has pieced together a frontcourt that includes three transfers: Braxton Meah, Andrew Morgan and Berke Buyuktuncel.

Meah, who previously played at Fresno State and Washington, provides the Huskers with legitimate size in the post at 7-foot-1 and 264 pounds. He’s averaging 3.7 points and four rebounds in 15 minutes per game.

Morgan is a 6-foot-10, 245-pound arrival from North Dakota State who is the team’s second-leading rebounder. Morgan pulls down 5.3 rebounds in 17 minutes per game off the bench while averaging 8.4 points on 45 percent shooting.

Buyuktuncel transferred from UCLA and started the first six games for Nebraska. He’s the leading rebounder at 5.9 per game, is making 75 percent of his 2s and has a team-best six blocked shots.

TEMPO-FREE PREVIEW

Both teams are playing with pace, with Nebraska ranking 88th in adjusted tempo, per KenPom.com and Indiana at 39th.

The Huskers, however, are handling the ball much better than the Hoosiers and forcing more turnovers. Through 10 games, Indiana has committed 140 turnovers and forced just 121, while Nebraska has committed 90 and forced 130.

The free-throw line will also be key for both programs. The Huskers excel at drawing fouls and then converting at the line. Nebraska’s free-throw percentage of 76.6 ranks 51st in the country and 30th in free-throw rate (FTA/FGA).

While 3-point shooting was Nebraska’s primary strength offensively last season, that isn’t the case this season. The Huskers are taking fewer 3s – their 3PA/FGA is 38.2 percent this season versus 44.3 percent last season. Nebraska shot 35.7 percent from deep last season and is just 29.8 percent this season from deep.

WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO

The KenPom projection is Nebraska by one, with a 47 percent chance of an IU victory. Bart Torvik’s ratings favor the Huskers by two, with a 43 percent chance of a Hoosier victory.

Indiana played one of its best games this season against Minnesota on Monday but still struggled for stretches in the second half.

The Hoosiers will have to take care of the ball and limit Nebraska’s free throw attempts to prevail in what should be a hostile environment in Lincoln. Nebraska has one of the better home-court advantages in the league and has dominated Indiana recently.

The Huskers will also be looking to rebound from an embarrassing 37-point beatdown in East Lansing and avoid an 0-2 start in Big Ten play. For Indiana, the road trip marks an opportunity to grab a fifth-straight win and establish clear momentum heading into the two final non-conference games in Bloomington later this month.

Filed to: Nebraska Cornhuskers

GARY, Ind. (WLS) — The city of Gary is putting it’s support behind the sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel, saying the deal could mean a new chapter for the city’s revitalization.

The Japanese company pledged Thursday to invest $1 billion in Gary, pending the acquisition of the American steel company.

However, the sale is drawing major opposition.

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“For the city, the partnership would mean so much,” Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said.

The glory of the past joined the promise of the future Thursday as Gary, Indiana’s mayor and Japan’s Nippon Steel made their case for why the purchase of U.S. Steel would be a good thing for the economic struggling Northwest Indiana town.

“Michael Jackson might be the most famous resident in Gary, but the men and women of Gary works will build the future of the region,” Nippon Steel Vice Chairman Takahiri Mori said.

Nippon Steel is currently in talks to buy U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion.

During an afternoon news conference, the two leaders said it the sale would be a win-win for everyone involved. Nippon has been operating in the United States for over 50 years.

“Gary has had its fair share of impact of the downturn of the steel industry over the last several decades,” Melton said. “As the 22nd mayor of Gary, I wanted to show my support for this effort.”

But some critics aren’t so sure.

While supporters suggest that the acquisition reflects the Japanese company’s investment would represent a sizeable commitment to the Midwest region and the American steel industry, some remain concerned any deal could create serious national security issues for the United States.

President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have both said they would block the deal.

The committee on foreign investment in the United States calls the proposes agreement “problematic.”

In a statement this week, the United Steelworkers Union reiterated its opposition to the sale, saying ” The proposed sale is bad for workers, our communities and the domestic industry – as well as our national security, critical infrastructure and domestic supply chains. We must continue to resist it.”

The union has concern Nippon will transfer production and jobs outside of the U.S., something the company says it won’t do. There’s also concern the move could negatively impact U.S. Steel’s decisions when it comes to trade.

“There will be no job loss or plant closures because of this deal,” Mori said. “If anything, we will need more steel workers to meet our vision for the future. We are not transferring jobs or production overseas.”

U.S. Steel, once an iconic American brand, has struggled to adapt to a changing global landscape around steel production.

Supporters of the merger argue Nippon provides critical funding to keep plants running and preserve thousands of union jobs.

Japan remains one of the United States’ closest allies.

The ongoing review by the committee on foreign investment is expected to be completed by year’s end.