UVa men's hoops lands big-time transfer

Note: ACC football team previews coming soon.

Being second best has been good for Virginia.

On Sunday, the Cavaliers got transfer forward Austin Nichols from Memphis, adding him to a growing list of notable players who did not originally commit to Virginia, but either rethought things or transferred after a year or two.

The list includes Justin Anderson (Maryland), Anthony Gill (South Carolina), Marial Shayok (Marquette), Darius Thompson (Tennessee), and now Nichols. Transfer numbers have gone up in recent years all around the country, but coach Tony Bennett and staff clearly seem to be good at re-

recruiting and/or being memorable for a kid that doesn't choose UVa at first.

The 6-foot-9 228-pounder will sit out the coming season and have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2016-17 season. His addition will come at a good time for UVa, which is getting ready to embark on the final seasons for big men Anthony Gill, Mike Tobey, and to an extent, Evan Nolte. During the 2016-17 season, Virginia's frontcourt is slated to include Nichols (junior), Jack Salt (redshirt sophomore), Isaiah Wilkins (junior), and Jarred Reuter (sophomore).

Nichols, out of Collierville, Tenn., was a former five-star recruit when he decided to go to Memphis two years ago. He averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks (third in the nation) last season and 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds his freshman season. That year, Virginia beat Memphis, 78-60, in Raleigh in the third round of the NCAA tournament to reach the Sweet 16. Nichols recorded a team-high 15 points and also grabbed two rebounds in that contest.

Though it is two years late, being a five-star guy means this is the best recruit Bennett has reeled in and continues great momentum for Virginia, which is coming off back-to-back 30-win seasons and appears to be increasing its recruiting profile, something it needs to do to continue to challenge for first in the ACC year in and year out.