Aug. 26, 2002

LAS VEGAS - Odartey Blankson has transferred to UNLV from Marquette University, men's basketball head coach Charlie Spoonhour announced Monday.

Blankson has enrolled in classes at UNLV and will not be eligible to play during the 2002-03 season because of NCAA transfer rules. He will be permitted to practice with this year's team and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining for competition beginning with the 2003-04 season.

"We are extremely happy to welcome Odartey to the team," Spoonhour said. "Fundamentally, he is a sound player, and he has shown the ability to score and rebound effectively. He is an excellent defensive player. He will be a big asset to our practices this year and to our team the following two years."

Blankson, a 6-7, 225-pound junior forward from Chicago, Ill., has played the last two seasons at Marquette, where he averaged 7.2 points and almost six rebounds per game.

Blankson averaged 8.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game during 2001-02 and shot 47.2 percent from the floor. He started 27 games and averaged 22.9 minutes per game.

Blankson finished second in rebounding and third in scoring on a team that made the NCAA Tournament and finished the season with a record of 26-7. He was awarded with Conference USA's Player of the Week award after totaling 35 points and 21 rebounds in wins over Louisville and Saint Louis.

He recorded career highs last season of 23 points against Saint Louis and 16 rebounds against Southern Mississippi.

In 2000-01, Blankson was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team after leading Marquette's in rebounding with 5.5 per game.

Blankson chose UNLV over Pittsburgh, West Virginia, San Diego State and Boston College.