Special to The Eagle
Special to The Eagle
The NCAA has denied Texas A&M's appeal for a partial year of eligibility for Aggie senior basketball player Derrick Roland.
"I am disappointed to hear the news that Derrick Roland would not be given back this past year here at Texas A&M," Aggie coach Mark Turgeon said. "We knew it was a hard-and-fast rule and the appeal would be a long shot, but we wanted to make the effort on D-Ro's behalf."
A&M put together the appeal not long after being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament on March 21.
Roland suffered a compound fracture of his lower right leg, breaking his tibia and fibula in a 73-64 loss against Washington in Seattle on Dec. 22. Roland had started all 12 games up until the injury.
Roland would have received a medical hardship if he had played in less than 30 percent of the team's games. Tournaments count as one game.
The 6-foot-4 guard returned to the bench in street clothes on Jan. 9 for the Big 12 opener against Nebraska.
He suited up one final time, on Senior Day, to be honored along with Donald Sloan and Bryan Davis, both of whom he began his Aggie career with in 2006.
"I appreciate all that coach Turgeon and Texas A&M have done for me," Roland said. "Not only with this appeal, but for my career and for helping me to grow into the man I am today. I would have loved to come back for even half of a season, but it did not work out. At least I went out with my brothers -- B.D. & Sloan. We gave it everything we had. I will be OK."
The trio of seniors led A&M to a 100-38 overall record, the best four-year mark in school history. The Aggies made four consecutive second-round NCAA Tournament appearances. A&M and Pittsburgh are the only NCAA schools to achieve that success the past four years.
Roland has recovered from the injury and has been working out with A&M players during the summer.
"D-Ro has been working really hard and is back to 100 percent," Turgeon continued. "He is ready to pursue a professional career and he will do well. Along with B.D. and Sloan, D-Ro will be greatly missed. They will be remembered as the guys who put together the winningest career in A&M basketball history."
Roland, selected to the Big 12 All-Defense Team as a junior, was averaging 10.5 points on 49 percent shooting, with 3 rebounds and 1.8 assists a game before the injury.
A&M finished the season 24-10 and tied for second in the Big 12 at 11-5. The Aggies were 9-3 in games Roland played.
Roland played in 102 games as an Aggie, starting 42.
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