Former Arkansas guard transfers to Mississippi State

Arkansas guard Jordan Danberry drives with the ball Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, in the basketball practice facility on the university campus in Fayetteville.
Arkansas guard Jordan Danberry drives with the ball Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, in the basketball practice facility on the university campus in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas women's basketball player Jordan Danberry has transferred to SEC rival Mississippi State, Bulldogs Coach Vic Schafer announced Tuesday.

Danberry, a guard who starred at Conway High School and quit Arkansas' team in late November, has enrolled at Mississippi State this semester. She is practicing with the No. 4 Bulldogs and will be eligible to play during the spring semester of 2018 when she'll be a junior.

"Jordan is a great fit for our program," Schaefer, a former Arkansas assistant coach, said in a news release. "I'm really excited about her joining us at Mississippi State.

"We recruited her hard out of a very good Conway High School program, and once we heard that she was looking to transfer, we were excited about having the opportunity to possibly have her join us at Mississippi State.

"She's a young lady who will be very effective in our style of play. I love the energy and effort she has already brought to practice."

When Arkansas Coach Jimmy Dykes confirmed Nov. 29 that Danberry was transferring, he said he would grant her a scholarship release to any school without restrictions.

"If she wants to play in the SEC or one of the non-conference teams we have scheduled next year, then we have to figure out how to guard her when that happens, I guess," Dykes said.

The scholarship release allows Danberry to be on scholarship at Mississippi State immediately.

"She was one of the first young ladies I recruited," Dykes said when she left the Razorbacks. "I told her I would help her going forward in any way I could at all because I want her to have success as a person wherever she goes.

"I want her to have some success beyond basketball."

Danberry was among six Arkansas players who knelt during the national anthem prior to an exhibition game against Oklahoma Baptist on Nov. 3.

Danberry said after the game she and the other Razorbacks who knelt did it to put a spotlight on recent police shootings of blacks and other racial issues.

Danberry averaged 12.0 minutes off the bench in Arkansas' first six games this season before quitting. She averaged 4.7 points and 3.8 rebounds.

As a freshman last season Danberry played in 30 games, including 13 starts, and averaged 6.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 19.2 minutes with a team-high 70 assists.

Danberry said in a Mississippi State news release she was excited to join the Bulldogs, who are 19-0, including road victories at UALR 58-44 and at Arkansas 59-51.

"I feel like Mississippi State fits my style of play, and Coach Schaefer has developed a winning program here," Danberry said. "My teammates and the coaches have made me feel welcome. It's a great environment where I can focus on my studies and basketball."

Danberry was rated a five-star recruit by ESPN as a senior at Conway when she averaged 15.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6-5 assists and was Arkansas' Gatorade Player of the Year.

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