Sophomore forward Nick Madray is transferring from Binghamton University, the athletics department announced in an email on Tuesday.
Madray played two truncated seasons for the men’s basketball program, after injuries in both years barred him from participation through the full seasons. Between his two years, the 6-foot-9 sophomore out of Mississauga, Canada played in a total of 34 games, averaging 9.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in that span.
“I plan to continue my academic endeavors elsewhere in a field that will be most beneficial to the needs of my family and myself,” Madray said via the announcement. “I have thoroughly enjoyed representing and playing for the Binghamton basketball program. I’m appreciative for the relationships I’ve formed with my teammates, coaching staff and faculty members as they’ve contributed to making my experience in Binghamton enjoyable.”
“We appreciate Nick’s effort over the past two seasons as a member of our basketball program,” BU head coach Tommy Dempsey said according to the same email. “We wish him nothing but success as he moves forward.”
In 2014-15, Madray started 10 of the 13 games in which he played before suffering a bad sprain of his right ankle in a Dec. 20 game against St. Bonaventure. In that contest, after scoring a season-high 20 points — including an atypical three dunks from the sharpshooter — Madray went down awkwardly and apparently wouldn’t ever return to the Events Center floor.
Through much of that season, until sophomore guard Marlon Beck II’s and freshman guard Romello Walker’s spikes in efficiency from the middle of conference play out, Madray remained one of the top three leading scorers on the team. He averaged 7.8 points on a 38 percent shooting clip from the field in 22 minutes per game. He also posted double-digits four times through the season, including one double-double, with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Caldwell on Dec. 8.
In 2013-14, Madray played in 21 of 29 games, starting in 17 of them. He averaged 10.8 points on a 43.7 shooting clip from the floor through 27.9 minutes per game. He also averaged 3.7 rebounds per game.
Though Madray constituted half of the team’s front court, BU should return 6-foot-9 freshman forward Dusan Perovic, who led the team through most of the season with 11.5 points per game before he suffered a season-ending injury in practice in early January. The native of Montenegro started nine of 15 games in which he played, and led the team with a 45.3 percent shooting clip from 3-point range.
Also available for next season is 6-foot-8 Thomas Bruce, who committed to BU in November. Though Bruce ought to serve more of a rim protecting, low-post scoring role, BU has the opportunity to pick up a new perimeter scorer.
With Madray’s departure, as well as former junior guard Jordan Reed’s in December, BU has two additional scholarships it may fill. With over 450 Division I men’s basketball athletes transferring through 2014-15, BU certainly isn’t alone in its search.