For what it’s worth, I would leave if I were in Benson’s situation

[NUCat320]

The grad transfer rule is a wonderful one, designed to benefit athletes who get it done in the classroom. Benson earned the choice. You could argue that he made a four-year commitment - after all, NU made a four-year commitment to him - but Benson earned his way out of that.

Now, Lou’s reporting doesn’t clarify whether CCC and staff were shocked by Benson’s announcement today , or sometime a few weeks ago. You could interpret Benson’s decision as a slight of the hoops staff — how could a four-year player have so little loyalty? — but Benson did what he set out to do at NU, and he’s a serious and ambitious kid, and why stick around when the job is done?

I hope Benson is player of the year in the OVC.
And Falzon in the America East.
And Ash in the Horizon.
And Brown in the WAC (?).
And Rapolas in the Patriot.

Benson’s situation is in contrast to ~6 years ago, tho - when CCC was able to convince Crawford to be the best player on a probably-bad team rather than be a bench player for a tourney club.

 

[EagerFan]

How hard does a guy have to work to play on the team and still graduate early? That’s awesome!

 

[Catdude]

Benson is unusual in that most grad transfers leave for more playing time (like Ash and Falzon) or a larger program but I don’t think either apply to his decision. So that makes his decision more surprising.

The biggest problem from a basketball perspective is that, as you noted, our guys are leaving for (much) lower conferences to find playing time. So the departures of the past two years are concerning because they indicate issues of both culture and talent.

 

[gradeck]

Why wouldn’t Benson also be likely to play more if he went elsewhere?

 

[NJCat]

Why wouldn’t Benson also be likely to play more if he went elsewhere?

Because he is a foul machine? Maybe at a lower level of competition he wouldn't foul as much. But unless he makes a step change in how he defends his time will be limited by his propensity to foul.

 

[Catdude]

He may find a place that he can play more but I don’t think it’d be significantly more than he could as a starter at NU. The caveat is that going to a lower league may allow him to foul less and therefore play more. It seems at NU his minute max is around 20 given his constant foul trouble.

 

[PurpleFaze]

He may find a place that he can play more but I don’t think it’d be significantly more than he could as a starter at NU. The caveat is that going to a lower league may allow him to foul less and therefore play more. It seems at NU his minute max is around 20 given his constant foul trouble.

He will likely be more successful in terms of points and rebounds on a lower level even if his minutes will be the same as if he had remained.

Like him as a kid and how he represented the program, but as a player the only reason him leaving matters is because we have no experience at center now. In all honesty he likely would have been the worst starting center in the Big 10 next year.

 

[Figrating]

I'm disappointed to see him go because NU needs bodies.

But maybe Ryan Young is a better player already.

 

[PurpleFaze]

I'm disappointed to see him go because NU needs bodies.

But maybe Ryan Young is a better player already.

If young doesn't average more than 2 pts in his career then he was a big recruiting miss too...

Young (no pun intended) players tend to foul a lot so you need backups just to defend and provide minutes/fouls. Pretty much what BB did this past season.

Maybe they can change pardon's name and re-enroll him as a grad transfer...