It’s been a quiet two weeks since RMU men’s basketball’s season came to an end at the hands of Detroit Mercy in the Horizon League semi-finals, but that has all changed as reports have emerged that both conference player of the year DeSean Goode and all-defensive team member Nikolaos Chitikoudis have entered the transfer portal.
The news comes less than 24 hours after former Colonial Alvaro Folgueiras hit the game-winner for his new team, Iowa, against top-seeded Florida in the NCAA Tournament.
Goode, a sophomore from Fairmont, WV. transferred in from IU Indy last spring. Following last season, where he averaged 7.8 pts and earned a spot on the all-freshman team, Goode exploded at his new home, averaging 15.2 pts, 8.7 rebounds, and a 62.9% FG%.
Those numbers saw Goode collect a player of the week award as well as the Horizon League player of the year.
Chitikoudis’ imminent departure is also another sizeable loss. Besides the Greeks’ development and improvement throughout the season, the loss means back-to-back seasons of center overturns, with Folgueiras departing last spring.
Chitikoudis averaged 11.3 ppg, 7.7 rebounds, and had 21 blocks and 23 steals in 32 games in his lone season at RMU. The transfer from North Carolina A&T also shot 54% from the field, and was a huge factor in keeping RMU steady throughout the last stretch of the Colonials’ season.
Last spring, RMU lost 11 players in the transfer portal, including their entire conference-winning starting five of Folgueiras, Amarion Dickerson, Kam Woods, Josh Omojafo, and DJ Smith.
Sole returner Ryan Prather remained at RMU, but looks set to leave with one year of eligibility left. So far, Goode and Chitikoudis are the only confirmed players set to depart RMU.
