Dameon Mason to Transfer

Earlier today, Dameon Mason confirmed rumors that he was leaving Marquette University. Mason, MU's third-leading scorer at nearly 12ppg last season, is the third player to leave the program during this academic year (Bell, Berkowitz). Perhaps more than his scoring, Mason will be missed on the glass where he chipped in more than five boards per game. With his departure and Marcus Jackson's graduation, MU has even work to do on the backboards moving into the Big East.

The Mason departure is frustrating in that he was a kid who commanded big-time minutes early in his career and showed flashes of brilliance on the court. He was clutch at times (ask any Louisville fan), but also played inconsistently as sophomore, leading the team in turnovers. With the series of injuries and illnesses that plagued the team last season, Mason was forced to play out of position more than most of his teammates, and his production suffered. Given the circumstances, it was understandable. If Mason were to return and play his natural wing position, one could have imagined him quickly returning to form.

With Mason gone, MU will rely on a cadre of talented and unproven backcourt players. Tulane transfer Dan Fitzgerald and incoming freshmen Matthews, Mortensen and McNeal figure to be the biggest potential beneficiaries of Dameon's departure -- playing time is just waiting to be claimed. The larger issue will be the effectiveness and productivity of this group, which might have to play more minutes than the coaching staff initially imagined.