Cleveland State’s D’moi Hodge commits to Missouri basketball

Dennis Gates’ first roster at Missouri continues to piece collectively, and now he is added one other key asset he can belief.

D’Moi Hodge, a 6-foot-4 Cleveland State switch, dedicated to Missouri on Saturday night.

Hodge rounds out the guard rotation and may present versatility enjoying capturing guard or small ahead. That permits Gates to defend smaller lineups.

Though, the dedication additionally means there will be at the least one participant to go away MU, as Sean East’s dedication was the final open scholarship MU needed to supply.

Hodge involves Missouri after a standout profession at Cleveland State on each ends of the courtroom.

Final season at CSU, Hodge averaged 15.4 factors per sport and three.1 rebounds per sport. He hit 48.2 p.c of his photographs from the sector and 33.7 p.c of his 3-point makes an attempt.

Extra:Missouri males’s basketball lands level guard in JUCO participant of the 12 months switch Sean East

Defensively, he is a way more impactful participant. Hodge was named the 2021-2022 Horizon League Defensive Participant of the 12 months after averaging 2.2 steals per sport. 

Hodge’s standing as a key defender matches with latest commit Tre Gomillion. Gomillion was the 2020-2021 Horizon League Defensive Participant of the 12 months, the identical 12 months Cleveland State made the NCAA Event. 

Hodge’s addition will permit the employees to start determining learn how to construct its lineups.

Gates landed his level guard in East on Friday, and now he is landed one other essential piece to the 2022-2023 Tigers.

Gates’ offense will run via East and its protection will begin with Hodge.

On offense, Gates may have Hodge and Noah Carter that may play capturing guard and small ahead. Kobe Brown is entrenched as the facility ahead, as Ronnie DeGray and Mohamed Diarra can even form up the frontcourt.

On protection, Hodge will slot in with Gomillion and DeAndre Gholston within the rotation. 

Though, this all is determined by how Gates can curate the roster. East’s dedication was the thirteenth and ultimate scholarship that MU may supply.

This implies a participant presently on the roster is transferring, or one other participant is not coming as deliberate. DeGray would wish a switch waiver ought to he resolve to switch, however DeGray was a reserve submit participant and that position should not change.

Jarron Coleman, Yaya Keita and Amari Davis are actually with out clear roles on the group.

Davis was the sixth man final season for MU and was an environment friendly shooter from the midrange. The standing as a sixth man almost certainly goes to Carter or Hodge, relying on how Gates shapes his lineups.

Coleman was the first ball-handler, which is now East’s place with the group. Nevertheless, Coleman’s 3-point capturing may lend to a job as a spot-up shooter on the group. 

Extra:Why Tre Gomillion adopted Dennis Gates to Mizzou: ‘He didn’t should promote me’

Keita was a backup submit participant as a freshman earlier than lacking the latter half of the season with a knee damage. He was initially a three-star recruit from DeSmet.

That departing participant will come to mild quickly, however Gates’ roster has formed up with loads of choices on the offense and protection. Now, he can form his beginning lineups as he finds the final piece of his teaching employees.

Chris Kwiecinski is the sports activities editor for the Columbia Every day Tribune, overseeing College of Missouri and Boone County sports activities protection. Observe him on Twitter @OchoK_ and make contact with him at CKwiecinsk@gannett.com or 573-815-1857.