Colorado frosh set to transfer to Redhawks

~ The Memphis Hillcrest product had limited playing time for the Buffaloes and won't be able to play at Southeast until the 2007-08 season.

Calvin Williams didn't have to look long to find a familiar face when he decided to transfer from the University of Colorado.

Williams knew about Scott Edgar from the time Edgar was an assistant coach at Alabama-Birmingham and tried to recruit Williams, then a high school basketball star in Memphis, Tenn.

So when Williams soured on Colorado earlier this year following his freshman season, he immediately became interested in Southeast Missouri State, where Edgar was hired as head coach in April.

And now Williams is apparently going to play for the Redhawks. He said Wednesday that he has verbally committed to Southeast and plans to sign scholarship papers in the next few days.

"I'm definitely coming there," said Williams, who visited the Southeast campus along with his family earlier this week. "I really liked it there, and everybody in my family loved it."

Under NCAA transfer rules, Williams will have to sit out the 2006-07 season, but he will be able to practice with the Redhawks. He will then have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Williams is listed on the Colorado Web site as a 6-foot-7, 200-pound forward. He said he has grown some since signing with the Buffaloes, to about 6-8, and he now weighs about 210 pounds.

Williams saw limited action for Colorado this past season, playing in 15 games. He averaged 1.7 points and three rebounds per contest.

As for his reason for leaving, Williams said, "It's not the playing time. We had two seniors leaving and I knew I would have a good chance to be starting next year. I really just didn't feel a fit there."

Williams said when he heard Edgar had been hired at Southeast, he sent one of his release letters from Colorado to Southeast.

"They got on me right away," Williams said. "At first, I didn't really know anything about SEMO, but I knew about coach Edgar. He recruited me when I was in high school and he was at UAB.

"I knew he was a good coach, and I knew it would be a good fit for me. And being close to home, that's going to be real nice."

As a senior at Hillcrest High School in Memphis, Williams averaged 23 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and three assists per game.

Williams indicated that he has no problem with sitting out next season before taking the court in earnest.

"I don't mind," he said. "I'm looking forward to joining the program. I hope to help make them one of those George Mason teams."

Edgar is prohibited under NCAA regulations from commenting on Williams until Southeast receives his scholarship papers.

Waiting on Rhodes

Marcus Rhodes, a combo guard from Cincinnati who committed to Southeast last week, apparently mailed his signed scholarship papers to the university earlier this week, so Southeast coaches should receive them in the next day or two.

Rhodes, a 6-2, 190-pounder, averaged about 16 points per game this past season for Harmony Community School, a prep school in Cincinnati that went 31-4.