Ex-five-star recruit Danuel House eligible at Texas A&M
They lost on a last-second tip-in to Dayton in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Thursday afternoon. They trailed shorthanded College of Charleston deep into the second half in a consolation game the following day.
These weren't great results for a Texas A&M team with NCAA tournament aspirations, but the Aggies can at least take solace in one thing: Help is on the way.
Houston transfer Danuel House, once considered a five-star prospect, has been cleared to play immediately by the NCAA and could suit up for the Aggies as soon as their final game in Puerto Rico on Sunday against either New Mexico or George Mason. House, a 6-foot-7 junior guard, averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 boards for the Cougars last season.
House is the second former Houston player to receive a waiver to play immediately this week. Forward Tashawn Thomas, who also left Houston after James Dickey's firing last spring, learned earlier this week that he would be able to play at Oklahoma.
Between its turnover-plagued, cold-shooting performance against Dayton and an anemic 20-point first half against College of Charleston, it's clear Texas A&M needs House as soon as possible. The athletic wing chose Texas A&M despite interest from a list of suitors that included UCLA, South Carolina, LSU and USC. He will provide another slashing scorer for Billy Kennedy to pair with Jalen Jones.
Optimism for Texas A&M basketball largely centers around a decorated recruiting class set to arrive next fall. The addition of House gives the Aggies a chance to contend for the postseason even before the newcomers reach campus.
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
