SDSU loses leading scorer

[Hansel]

Matt Cadwell was a two-year starter and the leading scorer on an NCAA Division I basketball team, but he recently transferred to Concordia-St. Paul so he could play at the Division II level.

It's the kind of move that had people scratching their heads, until they heard his reason.

"I wasn't happy," said Cadwell, a former three-sport standout at Cretin-Derham Hall. "I wanted to prove that I could play at the highest level, but sometimes there are more important things. It just wasn't the right place for me."

After setting a freshman scoring record at South Dakota State, averaging nearly 16 points a game in 2005-06, Cadwell's production dropped to 12 points a game last season. The team also finished 6-24, the most losses in school history.

During the season, Cadwell didn't enjoy basketball for the first time. He thought about leaving but said it wasn't a reflection on the school, his teammates or coaches.


http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_6383807

[TransAmBison]

Wow. That is an odd thing to happen to a team. Good luck to SDSU in getting a replacement with a little more commitment!

[Blue]

http://www.bisonville.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7134&page=8
Actually, it's been public about for a while now.

[Mr. Burgundy]

That is too bad for the Bison....he was BRUTAL against us. Best wishes to him. Mike Nelson may have lead to him being unhappy? I hope he gets to play UND soon...then he is my favorite player. All in fun. He seemed like a good kid who could shoot from deep.

[89rabbit]

P.S. Cadwell wasn't our leading scorer. That would be Kia Williams, who is playing for team Canada in the Under-19 World Championships in Serbia (he has 23 points 11 rebounds so far - game is still in progress - against Korea). He is coming back for his soph. season.

Go State! :D

[Bisonguy]

P.S. Cadwell wasn't our leading scorer. That would be KAI Williams, who is playing for team Canada in the Under-19 World Championships in Serbia (he has 23 points 11 rebounds so far - game is still in progress - against Korea). He is coming back for his soph. season.

Go State! :D


Fixed it for 'ya. He might be playing against Korea, but we don't want you calling your leading scorer some crappy Korean auto manufacturer.

[89rabbit]

May bad. :(

Kai finished the game with 27 points and 12 rebounds and Canada won 99-83.

[bisonhusker]

Kai had a decent chance to be a Bison back in the day. They went a different.

[TheDoctor]

Kai had a decent chance to be a Bison back in the day. They went a different (DIRECTION?).

Insert direction???? ;)

[JacksFan06]

This quote coming from nbadraft.net after Kai put up 27 and 12,

A player to watch is Kai Williams (a sophomore at South Dakota State) who has a prototypical NBA SF body and does all the little things on the court including playing lock down defense.

I remember hearing a bisonfan quote after the jacks/bison game that tviedt was drooling after getting too watch how bad defensivly kai was.

[Greenie]

I don't remember Kai doing anything but play offense last season (which he certainly can do well). Lock down defense -- I don't think so.

[BisonBlogger]

It will be the true measure of Kai when he is the focal point of the opposing defenses he will see this coming season. If SDSU can field a team that has other options, he will continue to progress. If not, things will get very tough for him.

[JacksFan06]

Well former NCC freshman of the year Ben Beran is back for his senior seaon. He averaged 12pts 5.5 reb his junior year in 05-06. Last years true freshman PG garrett callahan scored 8 ppg and will be looked to score more this year. Also, there's been talk of a juco sg from maryland joining the team to go along with 4 true freshman and 1 redshirt freshman.

[89rabbit]

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070723/SPORTS/70723035

SDSU signs JUCO guard

By By Terry Vandrovec
Argus Leader
Published: July 23, 2007

Junior college shooting guard Aaron Wyatt has signed a letter of intent, rounding out South Dakota State’s roster for the 2007-08 men’s basketball season.

The 6-foot-4 Wyatt was one of six players to score in double figures for Cecil (Md.) Community College, averaging 11.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals a game as a sophomore. Wyatt helped the team to a 64-6 mark in two seasons, and he was a redshirt in 2005-06 when the Seahawks won the NJCAA Division II national title. . . . (read more)


Go Jackrabbits! :D

[bisonhusker]

not sure what Nbadraft.net is talking about. I can tell you first hand that Miles wanted all the offense to directly at Kai. Who is not a lock down defender. I was the one who mentioned that long ago, maybe he has improved, I hope he has, as I have no problem chearing for SDSU. Again, the Bison looked at him at one point. He is a good player.

[JACKRABBITFAN]

not sure what Nbadraft.net is talking about. I can tell you first hand that Miles wanted all the offense to directly at Kai. Who is not a lock down defender. I was the one who mentioned that long ago, maybe he has improved, I hope he has, as I have no problem chearing for SDSU. Again, the Bison looked at him at one point. He is a good player.

I sure this past season Miles had many options in preparing a game plan for SDSU, since SDSU was not experienced and lack height. Kai Williams was playing the post and power forward and being only 6'5 its tough to defend as many as two to three opponents. If Williams's defensive skills were no existent as you have implied, I dont think either SDSU nor NDSU would have bother to make home visits to Regina. Ask Kai;s mother. Kai mother on the SDSU board commented that the NDSU-SDSU game in Fargo gave her an opportunity to shake hands and re-visit with one of the Bison coaches, so its hard to deny that NDSU had no interest in Williams, they did.

Hopefully SDSU will be able to put more height on the floor so Williams will not be playing the post and power forward positions. He is too small and could do more in another slot. I like Kai's spirit, and as was posted he was a big credit to the Team of Canada in the world games this summer. This experience could come back to haunt the Bison before Williams plays his last game.

As far as Cadwell, I feel he may not have had the whole bill of goods to contribute to a D1 program. Granted we put a lot pressure on him, but once the opponents got the tape on him, his point production went in the toilet. He seemed to be a very good citizen, and academically capable to make it through four years at SDSU. In that sense he was a credit to SDSU, but in the final semester, he seem to be very unhappy and was often down on himself during and I suppose after the game. I don''t blame him for one second for leaving SDSU for D2.

Over on D2football.com, there is as many know, a basketball section for all D2 conferences. Many NISC fans feel Cadwell will be one of their top players in the conference. That remains to be seen, but I wish Matt the best at Concordia St Paul.

[Blue]

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070821/SPORTS/70821047/1002

The South Dakota State men’s basketball team has cut ties with junior college transfer Aaron Wyatt due to academic issues.

A 6-foot-4 guard, Wyatt spent three seasons at Cecil (Md.) Community College and continued taking classes there this summer upon signing a national letter of intent, but was ultimately unable to fulfill all the necessary requirements.

“I can’t afford to have an APR nightmare,” Jackrabbits coach Scott Nagy said, referring to the NCAA’s academic performance rating.
Looks like our JUCO couldn't get it done in school. Hello one more open scholarship.