NCAA hands down decision on Arkansas transfer Connor Vanover

After months of waiting, Arkansas fans finally have an answer. The NCAA has denied Cal transfer Connor Vanover immediate eligibility to play for the Razorbacks this season. He'll be able to redshirt this season and he'll have three more years to play three beginning in 2020.

Had Vanover been granted the immediate eligibility his 7-foot-3 presence at center would have helped to lift a large burden to rebound without him but the sophomore will benefit greatly from an extra year of development under Eric Musselman.

Vanover announced his decision to transfer from the Golden Bears in May, less than two months after Cal parted ways with head coach Wyking Jones who went 16-47 in two seasons.

New Head Hog Musselman jumped on Vanover in the transfer portal right away and after taking visits both on the Hill and to Vanderbilt, he locked in his commitment to the Hogs.

A Little Rock native, Vanover was once a Memphis signee but he was granted a release from his NLI after the Tigers fired Tubby Smith and hired a new head coach, Penny Hardaway. After the release, it took him less than a month to find a new home in California.

At Cal, Vanover improved as the season went along. He scored in double figures in nine games. All nine occurred in Pac 12 play. His scored a career high 24 points in the final regular season game of the year against Stanford.

In Berkley, Vanover played in 28 games and started 15. He averaged 7.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. He shot 46.9 percent from the field, but was also able to step out and attempt 76 3-pointers, making 27 for a 35.5 percent average.

Musselman, as expected, held Vanover out of exhibition games to prepare his team for the scenario that he wouldn't be granted eligibility, but fans did get to see some of what the center could do in the Red-White game.

In a little more than 25 minutes on the floor, Vanover went 5-10 from the field and 2-3 from the charity stripe. He totaled 15 points (second-most of all players) with seven boards, two steals and two turnovers.

Check out the Razorbacks' scholarship distribution as it stands for the 2019-20 season.

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