Anton Gill to transfer from U of L

Sophomore guard Anton Gill will transfer from the University of Louisville basketball team, a source told The Courier-Journal on Monday.

The Sweet 16 hero scored seven points during a decisive stretch of the second half of Friday's 75-65 win over NC State, but his season was full of inconsistency. He will have two years of eligibility left.

The 6-foot-3 North Carolina native averaged 2.5 points in 9.4 minutes a game this season. He struggled shooting the ball, making just 35.3 percent from the field and 25.6 percent of his 3-pointers. U of L coach Rick Pitino was critical of Gill's defense last season, and his concerns carried over to this year.

Related:Rozier, Harrell to go pro

At Monday's season-wrapping press conference, Pitino hinted at Gill's potential departure, saying at least one player would transfer from U of L. When asked specifically about Gill, Pitino didn't want to comment.

"I don't know about Anton as well," Pitino said. "I just don't know right now. I've got to talk with these guys first."

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Gill arrived at U of L as part of a four-man 2013 signing class with Terry Rozier, Chris Jones and Akoy Agau. Rozier plans to enter the NBA draft, according to his mother, Gina Tucker, and Pitino, and Agau transferred to Georgetown earlier this season. Jones was dismissed from the team in February.

A former four-star prospect, Gill averaged 28.2 points per game as a prep player at Hargrave Military Academy, where he was Rozier's teammate. He scored 56 points in one game and 50 in another, and came to Louisville with high expectations that he could provide a serious scoring boost from the wing.

But Gill never seemed to find his confidence at Louisville. He averaged 5.7 minutes a game as a freshman, and did not play in eight of the Cardinals' final 11 games, shooting 32.4 percent.

"I want to thank all of my coaches and teammates for two great years," Gill said in a U of L statement. "I really appreciate all of the support I received from everyone. I've talked to my family and will take my time to look at my next step after I finish out this semester. I'm just looking for a fresh start to try something new."

This season, he showed some signs of his scoring prowess, totaling a career-high 15 points against FIU and scoring 14 in a late February win at FSU. His seven-point flourish against NC State turned the tide of a close game. But his inability to find a rhythm at U of L led to the parting of ways.

Gill's departure means Louisville will have a second open scholarship to fill this offseason. Pitino said Monday that he was looking at both junior-college options and graduate transfers.

"We have targeted the people that we're after," Pitino said. "We feel good about it. There's two ways we can go right now. We can go this way, or it's going to be a year or two of rebuilding. Well, I don't want to rebuild. We've come too far."