Topic: H-D: MU loses Thomas, gains Kelly

[biggreenarms]

HUNTINGTON -- Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball head coach Dan D'Antoni dropped one player and officially added one Tuesday.

Chris Thomas was dismissed from the team, the school announced in a news release. The 6-foot-5 junior guard from Denver, Colo., was let go for violating team rules, a source said.

D'Antoni also announced the addition of University of Miami transfer James Kelly who is on campus, but will sit out games in the 2014-15 season. He has one year of eligibility.

Thomas played his only Marshall season in 2013-14 as a junior college transfer from Chipola College in Marianna, Fla. He averaged 12.7 points and 4.0 rebounds a game while leading the team with 38 steals. He appeared in all 33 games and made 26 starts.

He scored in double figures 23 times with a high of 27 points against Western Kentucky.

Marshall originally recruited Kelly at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio, and he visited the Herd in October 2012.

The 6-7, 246-pound forward was also being recruited by schools including Clemson, Louisiana Tech and St. Bonaventure before signing with the Miami Hurricanes in April 2013.

Herd junior guard Justin Edmonds was his Owens teammate.

Miami announced in April that Kelly was granted a release to transfer and continue his career closer to family in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Kelly played an average of 17.9 minutes in 27 games with 11 starts as a junior in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

He averaged 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds with 11 blocked shots, 15 assists and 11 steals. His shooting percentages were 48.5 from the field, 40.5 on 3-pointers (15-for-37) and 66.7 from the foul line (18-for-27).

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/marshall/x271215927/MU-loses-Thomas-gains-Kelly