Center Braxton Dupree, who started eight games for Maryland as a promising freshman but played little as a sophomore, has transferred to Towson, the school said Monday.
The 6-foot-8 center obtained his release from Maryland in April, but it was uncertain where he was headed until Monday. Dupree (Calvert Hall) had said he wanted to remain close to home.
Dupree "has an opportunity to be a real impact player in the [Colonial Athletic Association]," Towson coach Pat Kennedy said in a written statement.
The Tigers were 12-22 (5-13 in the CAA) last season.
In an interview, Dupree said the toughness of the CAA impressed him. He said he wanted to continue to play in a challenging conference and recalled how Virginia Commonwealth, a CAA school, defeated Maryland in a game he started his freshman season.
Dupree entered Maryland after being rated a top-100 prospect by Scout.com. He was named to the All-Metro first team by The Sun in 2007.
Dupree took over as the starter for senior center Bambale Osby six games into his freshman season. He began well, scoring 14 and 10 points, respectively, in his first two games but seemed to lose confidence after that. He lost his starting job after eight games and struggled with weight problems the rest of the year.
"I just felt like if I had taken better advantage of my initial opportunity by being more consistent, then we wouldn't be having this conversation right now," Dupree said.
Dupree improved his workout regimen in his sophomore season and dropped 20 pounds to about 260. But he played sparingly, averaging 2.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 10 minutes.
Maryland is hoping to upgrade its inside game next season with the additions of Jordan Williams, a 6-10 power forward from Torrington, Conn., and James Padgett, a 6-8 power forward from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y.
