Jeff Goodman's Transfer List - Edwards and Vucic transferring

[wh]

ASU basketball to land transfer from Valparaiso

Doug Haller
The Republic | azcentral.com
Apr. 19, 2012 03:14 PM

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Richie Edwards, who just completed his junior season at Valparaiso, has decided to transfer to Arizona State.

A 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward, Edwards last season averaged 9.2 points and 3.1 rebounds, shooting 48.5 percent overall and 37.8 from 3-point range (20 of 53.) Playing behind two All-Horizon League selections, he played in 30 games, averaging 17.8 minutes, starting once.

Edwards played just one season at Valparaiso. He played the previous two at Hillsborough Community College in Lakeland, Fla.

He'll have to sit out the 2012-13 season because of NCAA transfer rules.

[lowposter]

I wish him well on the transfer, but...is he actually Pac 10 material?  I liked his game and he looked like a good HL player, but Pac 10?

lowposter

[FWalum]

I wish him well on the transfer, but...is he actually Pac 10 material?  I liked his game and he looked like a good HL player, but Pac 10?

lowposter

Interesting that he must think he will have a better chance at more exposure and playing time at ASU. Maybe it is even more interesting that ASU is willing to try and integrate a player of his caliber with a one year deal. I have a hard time believing that it was primarily for the climate change.  Richie contributed and played well for VU, I wish him all the best in his new environment.

[vu72]

I wish him well on the transfer, but...is he actually Pac 10 material?  I liked his game and he looked like a good HL player, but Pac 10?

lowposter

I doubt the ASU coaches are idiots.  They seem to think he can contribute otherwise why waste the scholarship.  Some of us seem to not realize the quality of play in the Horizon.

I really think the difference between the major conferences and the Horizon is the number of very high quality players. So, for example, Brandon Wood was one of the best in the Horizon and then became a starter at Michigan State.  Could he play in the Big Ten? Of course.  Was he Dramon Green?  Nope.  Could Rowdy start at any Big Ten school?  I would say yes.  Is he a Jared Sullenger?  Nope.

If there are 12 teams in the Big Ten (how goofy is that??) and there is an 8 player rotation at each, then there are 96 guys getting playing time.  I'm guessing Horizon League guys (certainly not all) could fill at least half of those spots.  So our best 50 could play as well as their worst PLAYING guys.  Just an opinion.

[valpo04]

I wish him well on the transfer, but...is he actually Pac 10 material?  I liked his game and he looked like a good HL player, but Pac 10?

lowposter

I doubt the ASU coaches are idiots.  They seem to think he can contribute otherwise why waste the scholarship.  Some of us seem to not realize the quality of play in the Horizon.

I really think the difference between the major conferences and the Horizon is the number of very high quality players. So, for example, Brandon Wood was one of the best in the Horizon and then became a starter at Michigan State.  Could he play in the Big Ten? Of course.  Was he Dramon Green?  Nope.  Could Rowdy start at any Big Ten school?  I would say yes.  Is he a Jared Sullenger?  Nope.

If there are 12 teams in the Big Ten (how goofy is that??) and there is an 8 player rotation at each, then there are 96 guys getting playing time.  I'm guessing Horizon League guys (certainly not all) could fill at least half of those spots.  So our best 50 could play as well as their worst PLAYING guys.  Just an opinion.

Not to mention that the Pac-12 was way down last year.  Ranked 9th in conference RPI, only 4 spots ahead of the Horizon League.

Arizona State had an RPI rank of 239!!  The only teams worse than that in the HL were UIC (298) and Loyola (310).

http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2012/conference/Pac%2012

[lowposter]

Good points all.

But if I were a Pac 10 school, I wouldnt go 2 years of scholarship for 1 year of playing, unless it is an outstanding player.  OUTSTANDING.  But, then again, I am not coaching at the PAC 10 level (or any level) so I do not realize the talent level.

[FWalum]

But if I were a Pac 10 school, I wouldnt go 2 years of scholarship for 1 year of playing, unless it is an outstanding player.  OUTSTANDING.  But, then again, I am not coaching at the PAC 10 level (or any level) so I do not realize the talent level.

My point exactly, I don't understand the 1 year of playing time deal.  I think that Richie can play at ASU. Is he going to get significantly more or even the same playing time he got at VU? Unless the climate change was just too much for him I don't understand why you would transfer from a place at which you had obviously become an intricate part of the machine.

[chef]

ASU had an RPI of 239. I'm sure they're thrilled to bring in a player that averaged nearly 10ppg at a top 100 program. I don't think we should get caught up in it being a PAC-10 school. They're program is awful right now.

[valpopal]

Arizona State's fans don't seem overly thrilled with the arrival of Edwards:

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=43&f=1681&t=8921274

[vu72]

Arizona State's fans don't seem overly thrilled with the arrival of Edwards:

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=43&f=1681&t=8921274

I posted on their site and tried to clear up a few things.  Richie averaged about 15 ppg over the last 10 games including 2 5 pointers.  I think they may be surprised by his effectiveness.  I wish him well.  Obviously he didn't transfer there to be closer to family or Florida.  My guess is the weather or a vision of reduced playing time.

[sectionee]

Richie averaged about 15 ppg over the last 10 games including 2 5 pointers.

5 pointers are quite rare in today's game! haha

[valpopal]

In the following article, Edwards discusses his decision to commit to Arizona State. One part seems a bit strange; he says, ""The coaches told me that they liked the way I shoot the ball and play defense." I can understand the coaches liking his offense, but I don't recall Richie as a very strong defensive player.

http://ucla.scout.com/2/1179335.html

[sectionee]

He always did a nice job falling over when a guy would drive the lane and pull up for a 6 footer without coming close to making contact with Richie.

[justducky]

Interesting that he must think he will have a better chance at more exposure and playing time at ASU. Maybe it is even more interesting that ASU is willing to try and integrate a player of his caliber with a one year deal. I have a hard time believing that it was primarily for the climate change.  Richie contributed and played well for VU, I wish him all the best in his new environment.

Clearly if we had started next season with Richie, Bobby and Vashil all fighting for the 15 left over minutes at the 5 and maybe 18-20 left over minutes at the 4 then most likely none of them would have been very happy. So I think I can understand this move from both Richies and ASUs perspective. Richie could get significant added playing time in exchange for sitting out a year to work on his weaknesses and integrate into the ASU system. ASU wants to get a solid contributor who can score a bunch in a hurry from a lot of different places on the floor. Both might or might not get exactly what they want. Not only did Richies defense and 3 point shooting progress as the year went along but his 2,3 and 4 dribble moves up and down and across the lane improved big time.                                                                                                                                                                                    From my narrow VU fan perspective I realize that the trio of Kevin, Bobby and Vashil should be overall better and more versatile than last years trio of Kevin, Richie and Hrvoje. I am concerned however that Bobby may shoot the 3 much more like Cory Johnson  and much less like Richie Edwards thus robbing us of any opportunities of putting 5 three point shooters on the floor at the same time and reducing our ability to even put out 4. We could well lose a couple-3 games next year where a player like Richie might just have made the difference. Hope not, and I too wish him the best future success.                     

[FWalum]

Not a particularly flattering pic of Edwards on the ASU board.  Where did they get that one?

[valpotx]

ASU hasn't really been a power in men's basketball, and as mentioned by others, the Pac 10 was terrible this last season.  Richie will get his bench minutes while there, probably playing a similar role to what he did at Valpo with a few more minutes.  His minutes weren't going to change at VU with everyone of importance coming back, while adding another that can play his position.  It was a wise move on his part, as he didn't seem happy to be relegated to 15-16 minutes each game.  Our team would beat ASU, so he will get to compete a little bit easier.

[vuweathernerd]

Not a particularly flattering pic of Edwards on the ASU board.  Where did they get that one?

probably watching too much footage of the game at milwaukee.

[zvillehaze]

Not a particularly flattering pic of Edwards on the ASU board.  Where did they get that one?

If you're talking about the picture of him sitting in a chair, it came from a NWI Times article.  http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/edwards-ready-to-display-artwork/article_8c393773-5349-5ad5-b737-e772f505ba74.html  What's unflattering about it?

[FWalum]

Not a particularly flattering pic of Edwards on the ASU board.  Where did they get that one?

If you're talking about the picture of him sitting in a chair, it came from a NWI Times article.  http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/edwards-ready-to-display-artwork/article_8c393773-5349-5ad5-b737-e772f505ba74.html  What's unflattering about it?

I would just like to see an action or game shot rather than that picture with what appears to be a very baggy uniform and sitting in the middle of the floor kind of uninterested.

[valpopal]

Vucic will be playing for the Walsh University Cavaliers in North Canton, Ohio.

[valpotx]

What division are they?

[covufan]

With the exceptions of Wood last year and Edward this year, most VU transfers over the last 20 years have not gone on to better basketball schools.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

NAIA http://www.walsh.edu/2011-12-co-sida-information

but headed to NCAA Div II http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walsh_University#Athletics

he'll be D-II his senior year, then.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

With the exceptions of Wood last year and Edward this year, most VU transfers over the last 20 years have not gone on to better basketball schools.

I would argue that while ASU is a bigger school with a much larger athletic budget, the basketball program he's going to is not better than VU at the moment.  This isn't 1963 or even 1981.  They're no better than we are, to wit the hand-wringing on their boards about getting a transfer from VU.

[justducky]

NAIA http://www.walsh.edu/2011-12-co-sida-information

but headed to NCAA Div II http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walsh_University#Athletics

he'll be D-II his senior year, then.

A perfect landing for Hrvoje. Going NAIA this season should give him immediate elligibility and a good chance to log big time minutes and greatly better his game. I would think that this could improve his resume' for the European pro circuit far better than sitting 2 more years near the end of our bench would have done. A project player can not improve without getting the necessary minutes on the floor. I wish him the best, and still think that given where we were when he was signed that he was a longshot risk that was well worth taking.