The school placed Bernie Fine on administrative leave Thursday night "in light of the new allegations and the Syracuse City Police investigation."

Syracuse is a college basketball powerhouse that has been led by coach Jim Boeheim since the 1970s. Boeheim managed to put an upstate New York City that had been known more for its snow on the American sports map.

On Friday, Chancellor Nancy Cantor said in an email Friday morning to students, faculty and staff that the school won't turn a blind eye to the allegations, and that Fine has "vehemently denied the allegations."

ESPN said the accusations were made by two former ball boys. Bobby Davis, now 39, told the network Fine allegedly molested him beginning in 1984 and that the sexual contact continued until he was around 27. A ball boy for six years, Davis told ESPN the alleged abuse occurred at Fine's home, at Syracuse basketball facilities and on team road trips.

Davis' stepbrother, Mike Lang, 45, who also was a ball boy, told ESPN that Fine molested him as well.

Syracuse police spokesman Tom Connellan said the inquiry is in its early stages.

"It's information that came to us today" Connellan said, declining to identify who provided it.

Fine is in his 35th season as an assistant to coach Boeheim.

Syracuse said it had conducted its own investigation years ago and couldn't find witnesses to corroborate the allegations.

A statement by Kevin Quinn, the school's senior vice president for public affairs, said Syracuse was contacted in 2005 by "an adult male who told us that he had reported to the Syracuse City Police that he had been subjected to inappropriate contact by an associate men's basketball coach."

Quinn said the alleged activity took place in the 1980s and 1990s.

"We were informed by the complainant that the Syracuse City Police had declined to pursue the matter because the statute of limitations had expired," Quinn said.

Quinn said the school conducted its own four-month investigation, including interviews with people the accuser said would support his allegations, but that all of them "denied any knowledge of wrongful conduct" and that the coach also denied the allegations.

Boeheim released a statement saying: "This matter was fully investigated by the university in 2005 and it was determined that the allegations were unfounded.

"I have known Bernie Fine for more than 40 years. I have never seen or witnessed anything to suggest that he would (have) been involved in any of the activities alleged. Had I seen or suspected anything, I would have taken action. Bernie has my full support."

Davis said he felt bitter emotions after sex scandals emerged in the Catholic Church and, lately, with the allegations and charges against former Penn State football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

In the Penn State case, Sandusky is accused of sexually abusing eight boys over 15 years. The case cost coach Joe Paterno his job, and former school administrators Tim Curley and Gary Schultz are charged with not properly alerting authorities to suspected abuse and perjury.

Davis told ESPN that Boeheim knew he was traveling on the road and sleeping in Fine's room.

"Boeheim saw me with Bernie all the time in the hotel rooms, on road trips," Davis said. "He'd come in, and see me laying in the bed, kind of glance at me like, 'What are you doing here?' But he wouldn't say that. He'd just scowl. And I would look at him like, I'd be nervous. I felt embarrassed 'cause I felt stupid that I'm there. I'm not supposed to be here. I know it, and Boeheim's not stupid."

In a telephone interview Thursday night with the AP, Boeheim said: "This kid came forward and there was no one to corroborate his story. Not one. Not one. ... They said I walked into Bernie's room on the road and saw this. I have never walked into Bernie's room on the road. This isn't true. This just isn't true."