University of Oklahoma Athletics
Rashaad Carruth Transfers To OU from Kentucky
June 03, 2002 | Men's Basketball
June 3, 2002
NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson announced today that Rashaad Carruth, a freshman guard on the University of Kentucky basketball team last year, has transferred to OU and is enrolled in summer school. Carruth, who averaged 5.5 points per game last season, will sit out the 2002-03 season and will have three years of eligibility as a Sooner.
One of the nation's most coveted high school guards two years ago, the three-point specialist played in 26 of Kentucky's 32 games last season and made 27 three-pointers on 76 attempts (.355). He shot .430 from the field and .667 (12-for-18) from the foul line, and also averaged 1.0 rebound in 12.8 minutes per contest. The 6-3, 200-pounder scored 19 points against Duke in Kentucky's eighth game of the year and tallied a season-high 22 points at Vanderbilt on Feb. 27 with the help of six treys.
"He was in a situation reminiscent of one Aaron McGhee was in at Cincinnati a few years back," said Sampson of the College Park, Ga., product. "Rashaad was caught playing behind some guys at Kentucky and I think Oklahoma will be a good fit for him. Even though we have a lot of guards on our team, most of them will be seniors next year. Rashaad will sit out a year and will then be able to step in and play. He's a good kid. If he works hard, listens and buys into our system, he will do well. He's a tremendous shooter."
A McDonald's All-American and a consensus top-25 national prospect as a senior in 2001 at Oak Hill (Va.) Academy, Carruth led the Warriors to a 33-0 record and a final No. 1 national ranking. He paced the team with his 18.5 points per outing and also averaged 4.3 assists. Carruth displayed his shooting ability by posting a .551 field goal percentage and a .466 three-point mark. He set the school record for treys in a game by hitting 12, including eight on consecutive possessions. As a junior, he averaged a team-high 17.3 points per game and helped Oak Hill to a 30-2 record and No. 2 final national ranking.
