By R.L. Bynum
Former UNC wing Tyler Nickel, who played at Virginia Tech last season, has reportedly committed to play next season at Vanderbilt.
On3.com reported the news on Wednesday evening.
The 6–7 Nickel averaged 8.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists last season for the Hokies after he scored 52 points in 150 minutes over 25 games as a freshman at UNC.
He’ll play for first-year coach Mark Byington, the former James Madison coach, who took over after Vanderbilt fired Jerry Stackhouse. The former Carolina and Kinston High School star went 70–92 in five seasons and never earned an NCAA tournament berth.
Byington went 28–36 in two seasons at James Madison, going 32–4 and making the second NCAA tournament round this season.
Nickel’s only season in Blacksburg had highs and lows. He scored a career-high 24 points in a Jan. 10 win over Clemson and netted 18 points against Florida State in the ACC tournament, but he had 13 games with six points or fewer.
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Other Virginia Tech players to enter the portal were Lynn Kidd (who committed to Miami), Rodney Rice (who committed to Maryland), Sean Pedulla, MJ Collins and John Camden. Mylyjael Poteat initially entered the portal but pulled his name.
The No. 90 player in the high school Class of 2022, Nickel chose UNC over Iowa and Virginia Tech out of high school. When he entered the portal last summer, he also got offers from Penn State, South Carolina, VCU, Marquette, Cincinnati and Mississippi State.
Photo courtesy of the ACC
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