Dre Applewhite to Transfer According to Statement from Mississippi State

When the Mississippi State Bulldogs return to the hardwood to take on the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (2-8) on Thursday, they will be doing so without redshirt freshman Dre Applewhite as the team announced that the guard has decided to leave the team and transfer.

Applewhite, who had appeared in every Mississippi State game this season, averaged 5.5 points per contest for the Bulldogs this season.  The guard missed the 2012-2013 season after he tore his ACL right before the start of the season, pushing his debut back to this year.

As of 7 pm, the Memphis native had already been removed from the Mississippi State basketball roster.

Applewhite becomes the ninth player to leave Mississippi State since Rick Stansbury left the program, and the first of Rick Ray's recruits to leave early.  Arnett Moultrie left for the NBA draft.  Renardo Sidney turned pro. The players that either transferred or were kicked off the team include DeVille Smith, Shaun Smith, Kristers Zeidaks, Rodney Hood, Jalen Steele, and Wendell Lewis. Josh Gray and Quantel Denson both left before arriving in Starkville, and Travis Daniels and Fallon Ndoye will not participate in games this season.