Xavier Munford Commits to Rhode Island Basketball

KINGSTON, R.I. -- Head coach Dan Hurley announced that Xavier Munford has committed to join the University of Rhode Island men's basketball team for the 2012-13 academic year.  Munford will continue his academic and athletic endeavors at URI, transferring from Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluff, Iowa.

"Xavier is an athletic guard who is both a scorer and a lockdown defender," said Hurley.  "I have some familiarity with Xavier from our time at St. Benedict's and he has developed into an outside shooting threat over his past two seasons at the junior college level."

This past season at Iowa Western, the 6-2, 180 lb. guard averaged 16.6 points,  3.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.  In 33 games, he connected on 90-of-241 from beyond the arc, good for 37.0%, and had five games in which he connected on at least five 3-pointers.  The Reivers went 24-9 and advanced to the NJCAA Region 11 finals.

During the 2010-11, Munford competed for Miami-Dade College, averaging 17.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in 32 games played.  He was named the FCSAA's Newcomer of the Year and was a first team all-conference pick, connecting on 72-of-184 from beyond the arc (39.0%).  

The Hillside, N.J. native played his prep basketball at St. Benedict's under Hurley, helping the Grey Bees to a 26-1 record as a senior and the #2 national ranking.  He averaged 12.0 points per game on a team featured six Division I signees.

Munford joins Rhody's recruiting class - Jarelle Reischel, Gilvydas Birtua and Jordan Hare.  Reischel is a 6-6 forward who is transferring from Rice.  Biruta is a 6-8, 245 lb. forward who will sit out the 2012-13 season due to NCAA transfer regulations after leaving Rutgers.  Hare, a 6-10, 205 lb. forward from Saginaw, Mich. is ranked the 30th-best power forward nationally by Rivals.com.