Dana and Victory

Andre Walker of Vanderbilt the Latest One-Year Transfer Candidate

The Muskies have been in the frame for a few one-year post-grad transfers since Chris Mack took over the program.  Although they haven’t pulled the trigger to date, X was in the final mix for Eniel Polynice (final destination: Seton Hall) and John Harris (Tennessee) last year.  This season, the Muskies lost out to Oregon for talented Lousiana Tech forward Olu Ashaolu.

With one open scholarship for the 2011-12 season and no clear candidate to fill it, the Muskies are now courting another high-profile transfer.  Eric Angevine of CBSsports.com reports that the Muskies are a candidate for Vanderbilt graduate Andre Walker:

The former Brewster Academy player from Flossmoor, Ill., this week will set up some campus visits, according to a Twitter post from a Brewster coach. The tweet says Walker is considering [Kansas], Northwestern, Xavier and Wichita State.

Walker averaged 3.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists while logging 17.7 minutes a game for Vandy his junior season. He red-shirted the 2008-09 season after tearing his right ACL and has had some injury problems since. He has one year of eligibility remaining. He does not have to sit out a year after transferring, since he’s already graduated.

I asked a top-secret Vanderbilt source for info on Walker’s game and here was the response:

Yeah, he’s a nice role player.  Not a great scorer, but a very good all around player.  He’s tall enough to play the 4, but he can also be something of a point forward 3.  Decent mid-range shooter, though not really a 3 point threat.  Good rebounder, passer, etc.  A nice, versatile player.  And by all accounts, a good kid.  He didn’t play much this year after starting much of last year, and no one is quite sure what happened.  His head was clearly not in the game.

Obviously Walker was not a huge contributor to the Commodores in the wake of his knee injury.  However, he does bring a few attributes to the table that the Muskies may find interesting — first, he’s got sufficient size to fill in at the four — perhaps the only questionable spot on the floor for the Musketeers this season.  Second, he has a ton of high-major experience and Xavier’s rugged out-of-conference schedule will in no way intimidate him physically.  Third, he seems like a high-character kid that could integrate into a team without destroying chemistry.

Ultimately, the Muskies enter 2011-12 with only one established post player in the estimable frame of Kenneth Frease.  Even if frontcourt scoring isn’t a huge issue for X (and with as many perimeter weapons as they have plus Frease inside, elite scoring from the 4 isn’t going to be necessary), the Muskies can definitely use rebounders.  Travis Taylor is a little undersized, Jeff Robinson hasn’t shown the physical attributes to play the 4 25 minutes a night (YET), and Jalen Reynolds by all indications is a raw, if formidable, talent.

Walker also could provide the Muskies with invaluable insight into Kevin Stallings’ grooming tips, preferred trick handshakes, the location of Mr. C’s lucky sideburn comb, and vulnerable points of egress from Memorial Gymnasium ahead of the Muskies’ November clash with the Dores.