Delaware Transfer Ithiel Horton Recaps Arkansas, Pitt Visits

Arkansas hosted Delaware freshman transfer Ithiel Horton on Monday and Tuesday for an official visit and now, the 6-foot-3 guard will take a week and a half to mull his decision over. His choices have come down to the Razorbacks and Pitt, which he visited briefly on Sunday.

"I really enjoyed Arkansas a lot," Horton told Rivals Wednesday night. "It was exactly what I expected, I did a lot of research after one of the coaches hit me up and after seeing everything and meeting Coach Musselman it was definitely what I expected.

Horton led all the Colonial Athletics Association freshmen in scoring this past season, averaging 13.2 points per game with 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He was not rated by any major recruiting service during his time at Roselle Catholic, though he averaged 13.7 points per game as a senior.

Arkansas had another official visitor scheduled to come in on Tuesday, Tyree Appleby, but on Tuesday morning, the trip was cancelled. That could be because Arkansas only has one scholarship open and Horton is at the top of the list to fill it.

"Coach Musselman definitely made me feel like he wanted me," Horton said. "He told me he wouldn't have got me on the plane and he wouldn't have brought me down if he didn't think I could fit in at that level and those guys."

Horton finished his freshman season with three 20+ point games and had a career-high 31 points against one of Musselman's newest additions Jeantal Cylla and UNC-Wilmington. He was able to catch up with Cylla on his official visit.

"I didn't spend a whole lot of time with the team but I talked to Cylla and Gabe (Osabuohien), so I got a little feel for them," Horton said. "I watched practice on both days and the energy was very intense, they were very focused all two hours."

After taking in practices and spending time with the coaches, Horton said Arkansas's new head hog could definitely be his coach.

"No doubt in my mind he's a coach I could play for," Horton said. "His style, he likes to lay off the kid and let them decide for themselves. I was looking out there and I was thinking I could play with those guys. They welcomed me with open arms and they made me feel very safe."

A great visit does not always seal the deal however. Horton said he found it hard to give Pitt or Arkansas the upper hand.

"My visit at Pitt was very good," Hortons said. "Coach Capel is a legendary coach, obviously his resume is very lengthy. The city itself is very rich, it's a tough city, and he's building a brotherhood up there which I love so much.

"Both schools are similar in categories. There was rarely anything that separated them apart, obviously Pitt being six hours away and Fayetteville being 19 hours away but at the end of the day it just comes down to me and what I think is best for my future. My parents are going to support me no matter what."

Musselman has already added four transfers, two sit-one players and two immediately eligible grad transfers, so Horton would be the fifth for Musselman in just four months. Horton is a rising sophomore and will have to sit one before playing three more years.

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