Hogs get N. Mexico transfer
New Mexico forward and graduate transfer Vance Jackson will finish his career at the University of Arkansas under the tutelage of a familiar face in Coach Eric Musselman.
Jackson, 6-9, 225 pounds, picked Arkansas over interest from Memphis, Louisville, Arizona State, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Washington State and others. He entered the transfer portal Monday.
“I was very familiar with Coach Musselman and his whole staff,” Jackson said. “They recruited me at Nevada when I transferred from UConn, so I’m already familiar and comfortable with the relationship we have, and I didn’t see a reason to delay.”
Jackson played for Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif., where he averaged 21.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a high school senior. ESPN rated him a four-star prospect, the No. 15 small forward and No. 78 overall
prospect in the Class of 2016 before he signed with Connecticut.
Jackson started 21 games for UConn as a freshman while averaging 8.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He played 26.1 minutes per game and shot 40.9% from the floor, 39.7% from beyond the three-point line and 67.6% from the free-throw line. He
transferred to New Mexico after that season.
He averaged 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Lobos last season while shooting 41.4% from the floor, 34.2% from beyond the three-point line and 71.4% from the free-throw line. He averaged 13.1 points, 7 rebounds and 2.6 assists as a sophomore.
Jackson wanted to become a Razorback after competing against Nevada and Musselman in the Mountain West Conference.
“I had a chance to compete against them many times in the Mountain West when I was at New Mexico,” he said. “I loved their style of play and how hard they competed.
“Also, this is my grad transfer year. This is my last chance to prepare for the next level, and I felt like Coach Musselman and the whole Arkansas Razorback staff would give me the best opportunity to do that. He’s proven to have tremendous success with players with the same position as me.”