Point guard Mike Rodriguez, from Marshalltown Community College, verbally committed to SIU’s mens’ basketball team on Tuesday. Rodriguez is a 2-Star recruit, according to VerbalCommits.com. In two seasons with the Tigers, he averaged 19.9 points per game in 58 games.  

Rodriguez said the coaching staff was the main selling point of his decision.

“They were loyal to me,” he said. “They came to my house and it seemed like the perfect fit for me. They’re about to give me the keys.”

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Rodriguez had interest from Colorado State, Indiana State and Manhattan.  

Rodriguez, who stated on Twitter that he plans to visit the university March 26, committed just a day after two SIU guards said they will transfer at year’s end.

Freshman guards Chaz Glotta and K.C Goodwin will transfer at the end of the school year, coach Barry Hinson announced Monday.

Glotta played in 18 games and averaged 2.3 points per game.

Goodwin redshirted the 2013-2014 season. This season he played in 21 games, starting six of them. He averaged 2.7 points per game.

Goodwin said he is transferring because of a lack of playing time. He said Glotta’s reasoning was the same.

“When coach Hinson has his mind set on something, he stays with it,” Goodwin said. “You can’t argue with the boss man.”

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He said he is not upset with Hinson and will miss the team.

“We’re like a family,” Goodwin said. “I don’t want to leave, they don’t want me to leave, but I’ve got to do what’s best for me.”

He said he wants to continue playing, but does not know where he is transferring. Goodwin said he does not feel he really had a chance to prove himself at the Division I level.

Hinson said at the end of the season the staff would try to recruit at least one point guard this offseason.

In an SIU Athletics press release, Hinson would not comment about the players transferring, but wished them the best of luck.

Aaron Graff can be reached at [email protected], or at 536-3311 ext. 256.