Seton Hall adds Eniel Polynice

The NCAA has a little known rule that has come to the forefront this summer. If an athlete finishes their undergraduate program with eligibility remaining, they can transfer to another D1 school without being forced to sit out for a season so long as they enter a graduate program at the new school that isn't offered at their previous school.

Its why Jeremiah Masoli, the former Oregon quarterback who was kicked off the team for a series of violations, was allowed to transfer to Ole Miss.

The rule has also been exploited by quite a few college hoopers this summer. Justin Knox left Alabama after graduating, becoming a back-up big man for a loaded North Carolina team. Roburt Sallie essentially got the heave-ho from Memphis and head coach Josh Pastner, but he will have a place to land in Louisville so long as he is able to finish his degree this summer. And Sean Kowal, a seven-foot center from Northern Illinois, made some headlines when he the university initially refused to grant him a waiver to transfer to a different program to pursue a graduate degree in theology.

Eniel Polynice will be a nice addition to the Seton Hall backcourt.
(photo credit: Daylife)

And then there is Eniel Polynice. Polynice graduated form Ole Miss in the spring and initially intended on entering the NBA Draft. But once it became clear that he wasn't going to sniff the second round, the 6'5" guard started searching for a school to transfer too. Seeing as Andy Kennedy, as Andy Katz put it, "wasn't unhappy that Polynice wasn't returning", the school gave Polynice his release. He landed at Seton Hall, and on Friday he was officially added to the Seton Hall roster and will be eligible immediately.

Seton Hall now has a chance to be a dangerous team next season. Back is Jeremy Hazell, who is a bit of a head case and doesn't quite understand what a good shot is, but nonetheless is one of the most potent scorers in the Big East. Joining him in the back court is Jordan Theodore, who was quietly one of the more underrated point guards in the Big East last season. Keon Lawrence, the talented but troubled Missouri transfer, and Jamel Jackson, who hit 12 threes in a game last season, also return, which means that the addition of Polynice, along with freshman Fuquan Edwin, will give Seton Hall a loaded back court.

Polynice, however, brings an element that the Pirates don't have on the perimeter. He's not a scorer. Polynice is a tough defender and a slasher that is more apt at creating for teammates than firing up 15 shots a game.

Despite that loaded backcourt, Seton Hall's season is going to hinge on the health of Herb Pope. If you don't remember, Pope was rushed to the hospital after collapsing when he finished a workout. He was released from the hospital after spending almost a month there, and as of now hopes to be cleared medically to play this season. Pope averaged a double-double last season, anchoring Seton Hall's front line. Witht he athletic and aggressive Jeff Robinson joining him up front, it gives new Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard a nice combination. If Pope is not cleared, Willard will be forced to use sophomore Ferrakhon Hall, as well as the three freshmen bigs he has coming in, for heavy minutes.

There are quite a few x-factors for this Pirate team. Pope's health; a new head coach in Kevin Willard and a new system; the enigma that is Jeremy Hazell. But if this team can catch a couple of breaks, they should be an NCAA Tournament team.

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Eniel Polynice to Seton Hall

On Monday, we talked about Roburt Sallie, the former Memphis guard who will be transferring to Louisville for his final year of eligibility if he can graduate this summer.

He's not the only player making that move.

Polynice should complement Jeremy Hazell well on the perimeter.
(photo credit: ESPN)

Eniel Polynice, the former Ole Miss guard who left the program and initially entered the NBA draft, has decided to transfer to Seton Hall. According to ZagsBlog, Polynice -- who will complete his undergrad degree this summer -- will be going to Seton Hall to pursue a graduate degree in Communications. As we mentioned in the Sallie post, there is an NCAA rule that allows players that have graduated to transfer without sitting out the mandatory redshirt season so long as they transfer to a school to pursue a graduate degree they would not be able to get at their previous school.

Ole Miss does not have a communications program.

This only adds to what has been a pretty fantastic summer for new Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard.

Not only did he land a head coaching position in the Big East, but he was able to get Seton Hall's three best players -- Jeff Robinson, Jeremy Hazell, and Herb Pope -- to decide to withdraw their names from the NBA Draft. Need I mention the fact that Willard also caught a break when Pope survived a scary incident when he collapsed earlier this spring?

And now, Willard adds Polynice to the mix, a 6'5", 215 lb, wing that is a capable scorer and excellent playmaker. He averaged 4.0 apg for the Rebels. With the underrated Jordan Theodore and Keon Lawrence joining Polynice and Hazell on the perimeter, and a decent three man recruiting class, Willard should be able to make a run at the top half of the Big East, and possibly a NCAA Tournament berth, even if Pope isn't capable of playing this season.

If he is, watch out for the Pirates as a sleeper in the Big East.
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2009-2010 Team Preview: Ole Miss Rebels

2008-2009 Record: 16-15, 7-9 SEC (t-9th)

Key Losses: David Huertas (18.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg), Malcolm White (7.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg)

Key Returners: Chris Warren (19.1 ppg, 4.0 apg), Terrico White (13.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg), Zach Graham (8.5 ppg)

Newcomers: Reginald Buckner, DeAngelo Riley

Terrico White had a surprising freshman season before making the U-19 National Team.
(photo credit: daylife)

Mississippi had what you might call a hard luck season in 2008-2009. They lost three players, including star sophomore Chris Warren, to season ending knee injuries, had their coach involved in a potential hate crime after he allegedly beat up a cabbie in Cincinnati, and then leading scorer David Huertas bolted for pro ball in his native Puerto Rico.

But it wasn't all bad for the Rebels. If Warren, Eniel Polynice, and Trevor Gaskins hadn't gone down with their injuries, odds are good that Ole Miss never would have found out how talented sophomore Terrico White is. White has shown a ton of promise, both in winning the SEC Freshman of the Year and during his performance with Team USA this summer. Standing 6'5" and 211 lb, White is a terrific all-around athlete - quick and strong, with some bounce. While he is still a bit toolsy, he knows how to score. If he can improve his understanding of the game - don't settle for as many three's, stop over dribbling, learn off the ball defense - White can be a special player at this level.

What is going to help White the most during his sophomore season is the return of point guard Chris Warren, which will allow White to move back to his more natural off-guard spot. Warren was in the midst of a huge sophomore campaign, averaging 19.6 ppg when he landed awkwardly on a drive to the rim in the last minute of a loss to Louisville. Warren is small (5'11") but quick and crafty with his dribble, knowing how to get his defender off-balance. He can get into the paint and score but, like White, he has a tendency to settle for tough, deep three's too often.

It will also help to get back Eniel Polynice and Trevor Gaskins. In '07-'08, Polynice was arguably the Rebels most versatile player, averaging 10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.1 apg. A tough defender and good play maker, Polynice should be an excellent complement to White and Warren in the Rebel's back court. Gaskins was an all-SEC freshman pick in '07-'08, averaging 5.9 ppg. He can shoot the ball pretty well, and will probably be counted on for an offensive spark off the bench. Also expected to see time in the back court is 6'6" wing Zach Graham. Graham is the Rebels best perimeter defender, although during conference play last year he boosted his averaged from 8.5 ppg to 10.8 ppg.

The inside is where the question marks will be for this team. The Rebels will basically be working with a five man rotation. The best of the bunch is probably 6'7" Murphy Holloway. A 225 lb bruiser, Holloway is mostly athleticism right now, but he plays with energy to burn and has shown a developing touch on the interior. I would expect freshman Reginald Buckner to start alongside Holloway. Standing 6'9", Buckner is a phenomenal athlete who was known for his shot-blocking ability in high school. A lefty, Buckner can run the floor like a deer and should provide us with a couple youtube moments this season. Sophomore Terrance Henry and senior DeAundre Cranston should be the first two bigs off the bench for Ole Miss, which JuCo transfer DeAngelo Riley and sophomore Kevin Cantinol should also make a push for minutes.

Outlook: Ole Miss is probably the second most talented team in the SEC West, behind Mississippi State. The Rebels have a very good back court, led by Warren and White. The issue is up front. Holloway is tough, and Buckner could end up being a star at this level, but they really do not go all that deep up. The key to the season is going to be how well Warren, Polynice, and Gaskins recovered from their injuries, and whether or not they can work effectively on the court with White and Graham. I think these guys have an outside shot at making the NCAA Tournament, but they are going to need to have an impressive resume as the play in the SEC West.






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