CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland State basketball team has lost center-forward Anton Grady, the second-leading scorer on the team. He becomes the second fifth-year player to transfer out of the program since the end of the season.

Earlier this spring, 6-3 guard Trey Lewis from Garfield Heights made his decision to transfer known, then later announced he was headed to Louisville to play next season.

The Vikings are fast becoming the poster program for the fifth-year transfer rule that is devastating many mid-major programs around the country. The rule allows players who have graduated - or are on target to graduate - with one year of eligibility remaining, to transfer to another school for graduate work, and be eligible to play immediately.

Head coach Gary Waters has practically resigned himself to the current state of basketball transfers, until changes are made at the NCAA level, hopefully sooner than later. Until then he and CSU suffer from the success of graduating players in a timely fashion, now 36 out of 36 seniors Waters said since taking over the program.

"I wish him well,'' Waters said of Grady. "If this can help him reach his dreams, I feel good for him, because he's been good for us."

Both Lewis and Grady were CSU's top two scorers this season, and were expected to anchor a team that could challenge for the Horizon League title in 2015-2016.

Now CSU and Waters are in rebuilding mode at a point in the recruiting calendar when top talent is hard to come by, or walks through the door with immediate issues.

Two seasons ago the Vikings seemed primed for several years of regular-season success and potential for post-season tournament exposure. The upcoming senior class was projected to include Lewis (16.7 points a game), Grady (14.3 points a game) and then CSU guard Bryn Forbes (15 points a game).

But following the 2014 season Forbes transferred to Michigan State, where he could be closer to his ailing sister. Now Lewis and Grady have opted to move on.

With the loss of those three players, along with departing senior starters Marlin Mason and Charlie Lee, the Vikings will not return a double-figure scorer for the 2015-16 season, and will have limited experience in the starting ranks.

As for the 6-8, 225-pound Grady out of Cleveland Central Catholic High, his departure is a head-scratcher considering he has struggled with knee issues throughout his career, to the point he is almost exclusively an undersized post player.

And against almost every team with a quality post presence, even at the mid-major level last season, Grady often became limited offensively and foul prone.

Against the likes of Louisville, Virginia, VCU, Iona, Toledo and Bowling Green - all 20-win teams - Grady failed to score in double figures. In three of those games he scored five points or less.

Waters said he is now out recruiting another post player.

"We have a few that we like, but we will take our time. This is the point in the season when you can make a mistake, and we want to get the right pieces together so we can get back on track, quickly."

Check back for further developments on this situation.