Marquette transfers Sam and Joey Hauser narrow options to Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan State

Bob Hille

Marquette transfers Sam and Joey Hauser narrow options to Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan State image

Brothers Sam and Joey Hauser will visit Virginia this week and Michigan State next week as they've narrowed their potential landing spot to those schools and Wisconsin, they told Stadium on Tuesday.

The two announced last month they would transfer from Marquette at the end of the spring semester.

The forwards were second only to Golden Eagles star guard Markus Howard (25.0 points per game) in scoring in 2018-19. As a junior, Sam averaged 14.9 points and a team-best 7.1 rebounds while Joey, a freshman, averaged 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds.

No matter where the Hausers land, both would likely have to sit out the 2019-20 season, per NCAA transfer rules.

Immediately after the Stevens Point, Wisconsin, natives announced their intention to leave Marquette, speculation began that they were a good fit at Wisconsin, in large part because the Badgers program has three scholarships available and could add the Hausers without having to manage the roster.

However, the brothers were recruited by Virginia, and the Cavaliers program potentially has scholarship/roster flexibility after the departure last month of sophomore guard Marco Anthony and Kyle Guy’s decision to remain in the NBA Draft, the Daily Progress of Charlottesville reported.

Michigan State was a finalist in Joey Hauser’s recruitment out of high school in 2017 before he committed to Marquette.

According to MLive.com, as of late last month, the Spartans had 12 scholarship players set to be on the 2019-20 roster, meaning another scholarship would have to open up for both brothers to enroll as scholarship players this summer and Michigan State to not exceed the NCAA's 13-scholarship limit.

Players sitting out the season as transfers count against the NCAA scholarship limit, and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said at his season-wrapup news conference he didn’t foresee any attrition beyond potential NBA departures.

One alternative, per MLive.com: One of the brothers could spend 2019-20 as a non-scholarship player to keep MSU under the limit.

Bob Hille

Bob Hille Photo

Bob Hille, a senior content consultant for The Sporting News, has been part of the TSN team for most of the past 30 years, including as managing editor and executive editor. He is a native of Texas (forever), adopted son of Colorado, where he graduated from Colorado State, and longtime fan of “Bull Durham” (h/t Annie Savoy for The Sporting News mention).