SAN ANTONIO — UTSA head men’s basketball coach Steve Henson on Friday announced that the program has added Darius McNeill, a 6-3 guard who has played at SMU and California, to its 2021 recruiting class. The former 4-star recruit will join the Roadrunners beginning with the 2021-22 season.
"We are very fortunate to have Darius coming in next year," Henson said. "He gives us a sharpshooting point guard who can run a team. More importantly, he brings a high-level of experience, leadership and success. We recruited him out of high school and again when he left Cal, so third time’s the charm. He is a high-character young man who is a winner and a gym rat."
McNeill is the sixth member of the Roadrunners’ 2021 signing class and the second addition of the day, joining Josh Farmer (Houston, Texas/Sharpstown HS) and fall signees Aleu Aleu (Austin, Texas/Temple JC), Dhieu Deing (High Point, N.C./Dodge City [Kan.] CC), Azavier Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev./Faith Lutheran HS) and Lamin Sabally (Berlin, Germany/Bella Vista [Ariz.] Prep). That group will head to a UTSA program that ended the 2020-21 season by winning 10 out of the last 13 games and earning a No. 4 seed for the Conference USA Championship.
Darius McNeill, G, 6-3, 185, Houston, Texas (Westfield HS/California/SMU)
Transfer from SMU who will have immediate eligibility in 2021-21 … averaged 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and an assist per game for the Mustangs … led the American Athletic Conference in 3-point shooting (45%) during league play … scored 17 points in a win over Temple … started 28 of 31 games and averaged 11.0 points, 1.4 steals and 0.9 assists as a sophomore at California in 2018-19 … scored in double figures in 16 games and had five games with three or more steals … recorded a season-high 23 points and seven steals at UCLA … set the Cal freshman 3-pointers record with 67 in 2017-18 … played in all 32 games with 30 starts, primarily at point guard … averaged 11.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals … scored in double figures in 19 games and turned in 20 outings with multiple three-pointers … logged three 20-point games … led the Bears in scoring four times and in assists 10 times … started all 18 regular-season Pac-12 games, averaging 9.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game with 34 total three-pointers and eight games in double figures … posted a career-high 30 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals against Cal State Fullerton … went 6 of 7 from downtown to score 22 points against CSUN … made his first collegiate start against Wofford, going 7 for 11 with 17 points … 4-star recruit out of Westfield High School according to ESPN.com … rated as the No. 21 overall player in the state of Texas for his class … two-time all-district selection … averaged 23.4 points and five assists and was named District MVP … helped the Mustangs to a bi-district championship in his junior season while averaging 14.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
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"We are very fortunate to have Darius coming in next year," Henson said. "He gives us a sharpshooting point guard who can run a team. More importantly, he brings a high-level of experience, leadership and success. We recruited him out of high school and again when he left Cal, so third time’s the charm. He is a high-character young man who is a winner and a gym rat."
McNeill is the sixth member of the Roadrunners’ 2021 signing class and the second addition of the day, joining Josh Farmer (Houston, Texas/Sharpstown HS) and fall signees Aleu Aleu (Austin, Texas/Temple JC), Dhieu Deing (High Point, N.C./Dodge City [Kan.] CC), Azavier Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev./Faith Lutheran HS) and Lamin Sabally (Berlin, Germany/Bella Vista [Ariz.] Prep). That group will head to a UTSA program that ended the 2020-21 season by winning 10 out of the last 13 games and earning a No. 4 seed for the Conference USA Championship.
Darius McNeill, G, 6-3, 185, Houston, Texas (Westfield HS/California/SMU)
Transfer from SMU who will have immediate eligibility in 2021-21 … averaged 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and an assist per game for the Mustangs … led the American Athletic Conference in 3-point shooting (45%) during league play … scored 17 points in a win over Temple … started 28 of 31 games and averaged 11.0 points, 1.4 steals and 0.9 assists as a sophomore at California in 2018-19 … scored in double figures in 16 games and had five games with three or more steals … recorded a season-high 23 points and seven steals at UCLA … set the Cal freshman 3-pointers record with 67 in 2017-18 … played in all 32 games with 30 starts, primarily at point guard … averaged 11.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals … scored in double figures in 19 games and turned in 20 outings with multiple three-pointers … logged three 20-point games … led the Bears in scoring four times and in assists 10 times … started all 18 regular-season Pac-12 games, averaging 9.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game with 34 total three-pointers and eight games in double figures … posted a career-high 30 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals against Cal State Fullerton … went 6 of 7 from downtown to score 22 points against CSUN … made his first collegiate start against Wofford, going 7 for 11 with 17 points … 4-star recruit out of Westfield High School according to ESPN.com … rated as the No. 21 overall player in the state of Texas for his class … two-time all-district selection … averaged 23.4 points and five assists and was named District MVP … helped the Mustangs to a bi-district championship in his junior season while averaging 14.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
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