SIU Basketball Coach Barry Hinson announced Aug. 20 6 feet 8 inch tall junior center Ibby Djimde has transferred from Illinois and will have two years of eligibility left after sitting out this upcoming season. He will take the scholarship that opened up when junior guard Josh Swan underwent a career-ending knee surgery.

Djimde was a part of former Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber’s last recruiting class at Illinois before Weber was let go and hired at Kansas State. Djimde played sparingly under Weber and new Head Coach John Groce in his two seasons for the Illini. He scored seven points in 28 games total.

To satisfy National Collegiate Athletics Association transfer rules, Djimde will be forced to sit out this upcoming season; however, he is allowed to practice, which Hinson said can potentially make the big men on the basketball team better.

“We get a year to work with him and show him our system before we have to play him,” Hinson said in a Saluki Athletics press release.

Djimde will fill a big need for the Salukis in the 2014-15 basketball season. There are only two true big men on the roster and both are seniors.

“We have two senior big men in Davante Drinkard and Bronson Verhines, so it is imperative that we add a big man to our roster,” Hinson said in the release.