Illinois State head basketball coach Tom Richardson announced Monday that two players who were with the team during the recently-completed season will not be with the squad for the 2001-02 campaign.
The two are guard-forward Traves Wilson and forward Cedric Knight. The university is not renewing Wilsons scholarship, while Knight has opted to quit the program.
Im disappointed in any personnel turnover, but these are very individual cases and, unfortunately, this is sometimes the nature of our business, Richardson said. Our goal is always that each young man who comes into our program will enjoy a long and prosperous stay. Most of the time that happens, but there are dynamics that sometimes bring about a different end. I dont like necessarily like that, but I am realistic enough to understand it.
The flip side is that we have also had a number of players transfer here and enjoy very good careers, so it works both ways.
Wilson, a sophomore from Moline, was suspended Jan. 30 for behavior detrimental to the team. He did not return for the remainder of the season.
Theres really nothing new to add to Traves situation, Richardson said. I just think its better that we part ways at this time.
Wilson played 18 games with eight starting assignments. He averaged 6.9 points and 5.8 rebounds, while shooting 45.4% from the field, 31.6% outside the arc and 59.6% from the free throw line.
Richardson added that Wilson had alluded to the possibility of transferring to a Division II or III school. He transferred to Illinois State prior to the 1999-00 season after spending his freshman season at Arizona.
Richardson said Knight, a 6-6, 235-pound freshman from Louisville, may take a year off to rest a back injury.
Cedric mentioned several things to me, including the fact that he wants to rest his back, Richardson said, but he also told me that he felt we played him out of position. He believes he should be out on the perimeter. We always saw him as a low post player and that view wasnt going to change.
Knight played in 30 games with seven starts. He averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 rebounds, while shooting 50.9% from the field and 51.5% from the free throw line.
ISU experienced the nations fourth-best turnaround last season going from 10-20 to 21-9. The Redbirds, who advanced to the NIT, finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference after being tabbed for a seventh-place finish in the leagues preseason poll.
None of this dampens my enthusiasm for what we accomplished last season and what we will accomplish in the future, said Richardson. There are a number of talented players who want to be in this program and we are glad to have them here. I look forward to our staff to putting a positive finish on the recruiting process for this spring and getting into next school year.
