UALR Coach Steve Shields’ quest during the spring signing period was to find a scorer and some size following the departure of one of school’s top scorers in the past decade.
He may have found both in Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College forward Roger Woods.
Woods, who committed to Shields by telephone Tuesday night, signed a letter of intent Wednesday after averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists last season at Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Jackson, Miss., native spent his freshman season at Southeastern Louisiana, where he averaged 4.1 points and 3.9 rebounds, and he’ll have two years of eligibility remaining with the Trojans.
Woods scored 25 or more points five times last season, with a season-high of 31 points.
“He’s got a knack for scoring,” Shields said. “He can get it to the rim, he’s got long arms, good strength. I’m very excited.”
Shields said Woods, 6-4, 215 pounds, isn’t an exact replica of the departed Will Neighbour, whose 1,054 career points rank 14th on UALR’s career list, but he can defend a post player inside and make opponents defend him at a variety of spots on the floor.
He made 52.2 percent of his field goals, including 39.4 percent of his three-pointers last season.
Most important for Shields is that Woods can defend a post player, which UALR struggled to do without fouling last season.
“He’s got a good body for it,” Shields said. “He’s a tough,physical player. He’s 6-4, but he’s capable of guarding a 6-7 guy with his strength and long arms.”
Woods is the fourth member of UALR’s recruiting class, joining three junior-college transfers who signed in the fall. Guard James Reid of College of Southern Idaho and guard Jerron Washington and forward Andre Brown, both of Southwest Tennessee Community College, will join Woods at UALR.
After adding those four and losing Neighbour and guard/forward Leroy Isler, UALR is committed to two more scholarships than the NCAA limit of 13 for the 2014-2015 season. Shields said Wednesday he isn’t sure where the difference will be made up.
ARKANSAS STATE MEN
Arkansas State went to the junior college ranks to bolster its lineup, too.
Forward Anthony Livingston of San Jacinto (Texas) College signed with ASU after averaging 16.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per game last season. He will have three years of eligibility remaining at ASU, which finished 19-13 and lost in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Tournament.
“With his talent level and three years to play, we feel he will continue to keep our team as one of the best in the Sun Belt Conference,” Brady said in a release. “He adds another dimension to an already deep and talented recruiting class.”
Livingston, 6-9, joins a recruiting class that includes six players who signed during the fall period. They will try to fill the void left by five departing players, including starting forwards Kirk Van Slyke and Kendrick Washington, who combined to average 25.0 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.
The seven-member class puts ASU two over the NCAA limit for next season.
College signings
MEN’S BASKETBALL
ARKANSAS STATE
NAME POS. HT. WT. SCHOOL
Anthony Livingston F 6-9 230 San Jacinto (Texas) Coll.
UALR
Roger Woods F 6-5 230 Miss. Gulf Coast CC
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Derreck Brooks G 6-5 190 Phoenix College
Jordan Howard G 5-11 180 Perry (Ariz.) High School
Jeff Lowery G 6-2 200 Grand Canyon University
Mike Martin G 6-0 190 Coffeyville (Kan.) CC
Thatch Unruh G 6-5 190 Quakerdale (Iowa) Prep
Joel Feigler F 6-10 200 Phoenix College
Justin Foreman F 6-6 210 Grand Canyon University
Otas Iyekekpolor F 6-8 220 Lillian Osb. (Alberta) HS
Mike Milligan F 6-6 195 Future Coll. (Calif.) Prep
ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH
Brett Cannon G 6-3 - Del City, Okla.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
NAME POS. HT. SCHOOL
Angel Williams G 5-7 Bellaire (Texas) HS
Shanta Echols F 6-0 Pearl River (Miss.) CC
HENDERSON STATE
Mackie Kuhn G 5-7 Pulaski Academy
ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH
Andrea Wilson G 5-9 Elkins
NORTH ARKANSAS COLLEGE
Skyler Johnson F 5-10 Elkins
BASEBALL
ARKANSAS STATE
NAME POS. HT. SCHOOL
Cole Jenkins P 5-7 LR Parkview
LYON COLLEGE
Derrick Flowers 1B 5-11 LR Parkview
Evan Johnson OF 5-11 LR Parkview
VOLLEYBALL
ARKANSAS STATE
NAME POS. HT. SCHOOL
Hannah Robey LIB 5-5 Tyler (Texas) JC
Going out of state
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
NAME POS. HT. WT. SCHOOL
Marcus Wallace G 6-1 175 Pulaski Academy
Sports, Pages 17 on 04/17/2014