By Scott Brown

KyKy Tandy to Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

Posted: March 15, 2021
Article, Featured

[Xavier Athletics photo]

Xavier sophomore guard KyKy Tandy has entered his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to a beat writer that follows the Muskateers.

Adam Baum of Cincinnati.com said Monday morning that Xavier had informed him that Tandy had put his name into the portal. Tandy later tweeted “I love y’all Xavier nation you will be missed.”

The University Heights Academy alum earned All-Big East freshman honors last year after scoring 6.7 points and shooting 38-percent from the field in 18 minutes of action while splitting time between point guard and shooting guard.

In the offseason, Xavier brought in 6-4 shooting guard Nate Johnson as a grad transfer from Gardner-Webb. He is third on the team in scoring at 11.7 points a game and plays 30 minutes a contest.

Xavier also brought in northern Kentucky native Adam Kunkel from Belmont. After becoming eligible in early December, the junior shooting guard is averaging 7.0 points and 18 minutes a game.

Tandy got off to a strong start this year, averaging 14.8 points and knocking down 12 of 29 from behind the arc. He also played 28 minutes a game.

Starting with the Cincinnati game on Dec. 6, Kunkel became eligible and 6-5 freshman guard Colby Jones joined the rotation. Jones scored 7.7 points in 27 minutes per game. Tandy’s minutes diminished rapidly as the season progressed.

The sophomore played more than 15 minutes just once since Dec. 2, averaging just eight minutes a game. He was a semi-healthy DNP in Xavier’s Feb. 13 loss to Connecticut. After scoring 14 points in 23 minutes in a March 2 loss to Georgetown, Tandy played just seven minutes the next game and did not see the court in Xavier’s first-round Big East Tournament loss to Butler.

Xavier Coach Travis Steele said he has had conversations with Tandy at different points in the season about his energy. However, Tandy’s role went into flux.

Despite the drop in playing time, Tandy was still sixth on the team in scoring [6.6 ppg.] and second in 3-point percentage [35.6%].

Xavier was 13-8 and lost four of its final five games to miss the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons under Coach Travis Steele. There was no 2020 tourney due to COVID-19.

In 2018, Xavier was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament under former coach Chris Mack, who had a big part in recruiting Tandy and left for the Louisville job.

Under new rules passed by the NCAA last year, Tandy is allowed a one-time transfer and can play immediately for his new school if he meets certain criteria which he is expected to.