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The nation's most sought-after transfer, Niagara shooting guard Antoine Mason, has no shortage of would be suitors. The phone of the nation's second leading scorer has been ringing off the hook since announcing that he would transfer to play one final year elsewhere. No less than 20 schools, including Boston College, Cincinnati, Maryland, Missouri, Tennessee, UCLA, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, among others, have expressed interest in the high-scoring guard.
Mason, a 6-foot-3 SG out of New Rochelle High School, has played the last three seasons with the Purple Eagles after red-shirting due to injury as a freshman. He averaged 25.6 points per game for Niagara, scoring more points per game than anyone not named Doug McDermott. Son of former Knicks standout Anthony Mason, Antoine will be eligible to play immediately as a graduate transfer.
Mason isn't a pure shooter, but creates opportunities and has a knack for getting to the charity stripe. Like, a lot.
"He's not necessarily a shooter, but he can make shots and gets to the free throw line a ton," one college coach who has faced Mason throughout his career said. "If he can curtail his [questionable] shot selection, he can take a team that's on the fringe of making the NCAA Tournament into a tournament team."
Obviously the addition of Mason would be a tremendous boost to the Eagles backcourt. A starting backcourt of Mason and Olivier Hanlan would make for a lethal combo going into year one under new Eagles coach Jim Christian. Following the additions of PF Idrissa Diallo and SG Dimitri Batten, the program has one scholarship to give for next year's class.
And wouldn't you know ... on Thursday, conflicting reports surfaced on whether or not Mason had whittled down his list of possible destinations; a list that includes Boston College. We have ourselves a good ol' fashioned source off.
Ex-Niagara SG Antoine Mason down to Providence, Boston College & Auburn, per @JonRothstein. 25.6 ppg as JR. Grad transfer can play in 14-15.
— Joshua E Parrott (@JoshuaParrott) May 29, 2014
Providence, BC, + Auburn are all in the mix for Niagara transfer Antoine Mason, source told @CBSSports. List has been cut from 14 to 3.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 29, 2014
vs.
Antoine Mason tells @CBSSports he hasn't cut his list yet. "It's a difficult process. A day-to-day thing."
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) May 29, 2014
Niagara transfer Antoine Mason is 'not even close' to cutting his list, his dad tells @SNYtv
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) May 29, 2014
If Mason has, in fact, whittled his list to three, of course the other two schools in the running are led by a former BC staffer and Bruce freaking Pearl('s assistants). Of course.