Mississippi State Basketball: Xavian Stapleton and Eli Wright to transfer

January 12, 2016: Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Ben Howland during the 2nd half of the NCAA basketball game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. Kentucky defeated Mississippi State 80-74. (Photo by David Blair/Icon Sportswire)

Mississippi State has announced that Xavian Stapleton and Eli Wright will transfer.

Stapleton averaged 6.4 points in 19.7 minutes per game this season, while Wright scored 3.0 points in 13.8 minutes per contest.

Stapleton will graduate in May and have a year of eligibility remaining under the graduate-transfer rule. Wright was one of six sophomores on this year’s team.

Aside from these transfers, Mississippi State should return the bulk of its rotation entering the 2018-19 season. Ben Howland’s squad featured only one senior, with Drew Davis appearing in just eight games.

The Bulldogs finished 25-12 this season and advanced to the NIT semifinals before losing to eventual champion Penn State.

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