Former Howard guard Elijah Hawkins transferring to Minnesota

By The Associated Press

FILE - Howard guard Elijah Hawkins drives to the basket past Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr. during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, March 16, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Hawkins has transferred to Minnesota with two seasons of eligibility left. The Gophers announced the addition of the 5-foot-11 Hawkins on Tuesday, May 9. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Charlie Neibergall]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Howard guard Eljiah Hawkins has transferred to Minnesota with two seasons of eligibility left.

The Gophers announced the addition of the 5-foot-11 Hawkins on Tuesday. The native of Washington, D.C., was the leading scorer on a Bison team in 2022-23 that gave the program its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 31 years. Hawkins averaged 12.9 points, 6.0 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 46.6% from 3-point range.

Hawkins is the third incoming transfer to join the Gophers this spring, following guard Mike Mitchell (Pepperdine) and center Jack Wilson (Washington State).

Minnesota finished 9-22 in 2022-23 and had three starters — Jamison Battle (Ohio State), Ta’Lon Cooper (South Carolina) and Jaden Henley (DePaul) — depart as transfers. Freshman Braeden Carrington was the only guard in the rotation last season who’s coming back.

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