Editor: This is a press release from the Missouri State sports information department.
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State men’s basketball coach Paul Lusk announced Thursday a series of off-season roster adjustments, including the departure of sophomore guard Shawn Roundtree, Jr., from the program.
Roudtree, from Edwardsville, Ill., played in just three games this season for the Bears before sustaining a hamstring injury on Nov. 27. He did not return to action the remainder of the season and has decided to transfer at the end of the spring semester.
“I will cherish the great memories I’ve had here with great people,” Roundtree said. “I wish my teammates the great success they deserve. It won’t be easy moving on from a school such as MSU, but I definitely believe that God has a great plan in store for me.”
He played 33 games for Missouri State, including 30 appearances and a pair of starts his freshman season. He tallied 94 points, 45 assists, 47 rebounds and 10 steals during his tenure in Springfield with a career-best 9-point contribution against Northern Iowa on Feb. 15, 2015.
“On behalf of our coaching staff, we want to thank Shawn for his time here,” said Lusk. “We wish him great success in the future.”
The Bears also learned that a medical hardship has been approved for junior guard Austin Ruder (Nixa, Mo.) who will have two years of eligibility remaining after he suffered a season-ending hip injury on Nov. 27. He played in just four games this season.
Ruder broke MSU’s freshman 3-point record in 2013-14 with 72 treys while making 32 starts and earning MVC All-Freshman Team honors. As a sophomore in 2014-15, he started 25 times and knocked down 56 3-pointers while averaging 8.5 points and earning MVC Scholar-Athlete first-team honors.
Finally, Lusk noted that senior-to-be Tyler McCullough (Fayetteville, Ark.) successfully underwent surgery on April 6 to repair a torn labrum, marking his second different shoulder injury in the last year. McCullough is expected to miss six months while recovering and rehabilitating after the surgery. With 84 Division I games to his credit, McCullough is by far the most-experienced player on the MSU roster. He has totaled 249 points, 199 rebounds and 69 blocked shots in three seasons while making 32 starts.
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As we near the closing of the portal window, we've reached 1900. Some of them never to play college basketball again, earn a college degree and some to play at a much lower level than they did last season.
I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
