Kelly Lyell

kellylyell@coloradoan.com

Point guard Kevin Dorsey, who played in 26 games last season at Minnesota, has transferred to CSU to complete his college basketball career, Rams coach Larry Eustachy said Thursday.

Dorsey, a four-star and top-100 recruit out of Clinton Christian High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, according to ESPN, Rivals and 247 Sports, will sit out the 2016-17 season under NCAA transfer rules and have three years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2017-18.

The 6-foot, 175 pounder averaged 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists a game in a reserve role last season at Minnesota. He was suspended, along with two other players, for the final four games of the season after sex videos in which his face was visible were briefly posted on his Twitter account. The players’ family told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the player’s cell phone was stolen the day before the video was posted, and Bloomington (Minnesota) Police Chief Mike Hartley told the newspaper there was video evidence of the phone being taken from a store at the Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis.

Dorsey was granted a release to transfer by Minnesota at the end of the season “to get closer to home,” coach Richard Pitino said.

Although Eustachy didn’t directly address the suspension, he said Colorado State University “does their due diligence” in checking out a student-athlete’s background before accepting transfers.

Each potential student-athlete is evaluated by the university and the athletic department “so those selected will be a positive impact to both their program and to the university as a whole.

“With Kevin, we have done the same and, as he is welcomed to campus, we look to continue to help him in his development as a young man.”

CSU already had 13 players, the NCAA maximum, on scholarship for the 2016-17 season, so Dorsey is joining the program as a "preferred walk-on," a school spokesman said.

The Rams’ starting point guard last season, John Gillon, transferred to Syracuse for his final season of eligibility after receiving his bachelor’s degree from CSU in May.

CSU returns just one starter, senior forward Emmanuel Omogbo, from last year’s team that went 18-16 overall and 8-10 in the Mountain West. Also back is senior guard Gian Clavell, who was averaging 20.8 points and 6.9 rebounds through 10 games before suffering season-ending hand and shoulder injuries. Clavell was granted a medical hardship by the Mountain West, allowing him to return as a senior this season.

Follow reporter Kelly Lyell at twitter.com/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news