Nik Graves leaving Charlotte for Creighton, Aztecs’ 7-footer Magoon Gwath takes name out of portal

Nik Graves will transfer to Creighton after leading Charlotte in scoring this season, and Mountain West freshman and defensive player of the year Magoon Gwath of San Diego State announced he would remove his name from the transfer portal.

Ascension Sports, which represents Graves, made the announcement about Graves’ decision on social media Wednesday. Graves is the second major transfer portal addition for the Bluejays. They landed center Owen Freeman from Iowa last week.

Graves scored 17.5 points per game for the 49ers to rank fifth in the American Athletic Conference. He started all 33 games, shot 32.8% on 3-pointers and averaged 4.3 rebounds and 34.3 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 32 points against East Carolina on March 2.

Arizona State big man Jayden Quaintance is entering the transfer portal after undergoing surgery for a torn right ACL last month, his father Haminn told ESPN.

One of the highest-rated recruits in Arizona State history, Quaintance averaged 9.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and was one of the nation’s best shot blockers at 2.6 per game. The athletic 6-foot-10 sophomore has been projected as an NBA lottery pick when he leaves college basketball.

In other Big East news, Adam “Budd” Clark is apparently heading to Seton Hall after ranking second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in scoring at Merrimack this season. Clark reposted an X post from On3 announcing the move. Clark, who is 5-foot-10, averaged 19.8 points, 6 assists and 4.5 rebounds this season.

The 7-foot, 190-pound Gwath started 26 games and averaged 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. He had considered moving to Kentucky before deciding to exit the portal. Gwath missed last season because of a foot injury and had to take a redshirt season. This season he missed five games with a knee injury.

Gwath said on social media that he would go through an NBA draft evaluation before making a final decision on whether to return to school.

“If I return to school next season, it will be as an Aztec!” he wrote.

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By The Associated Press